Chainmail RZ Rijk Zwaan magazine for all chain partners | August 2016
The rise of urban farming and plant factories
Foodbloggers event hits the right spot
Rijk Zwaan helps to dress up the humble burger
Contents 2 4 6
The rise of urban farming and plant factories Living lettuce event for food bloggers hits the right spot Australians embrace the sweet piel de sapo melon
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8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Passing trend or future?
The rise of urban far Vegetables are grown indoors and outdoors. Currently we see an increase in indoor protected production. There are a growing number of initiatives with ‘media-
Wassana Farm supports Thai
friendly’ names such as urban farming, city farming, vertical farming and plant
launch of Golden Emerald melon
factories. Some of them are aimed at bringing consumers and food production
Growth of high-density
closer together, while other projects stem from food safety issues or a lack of water.
Salanova® in the US market
Rijk Zwaan regularly contributes its expertise to such initiatives.
Lettuce from paradise
Photo-credit: Martijn Zegwaard, UF002 De Schilde
Rijk Zwaan helps to dress up the humble burger Collaboration improves service to QSRs in India Knox lettuce varieties offer new opportunities for fresh cut Cos lettuce
Ecoveg gets off to a great start in Tanzania with support from Rijk Zwaan New Sicilian trial station
When we meet with Marc Celis, Rijk
Suitable varieties for projects
Zwaan’s Crop Specialist Lettuce, he
Nevertheless, since 1 March 2016 a large-
has just returned from a brainstorming
scale urban farming project has been up
session for ESA’s Mars project. The idea
and running in the Netherlands too: UF002
of growing vegetables on another planet
De Schilde (see box). Rijk Zwaan supplies
may sound like science fiction, but for
the company with suitable varieties and
Thai vegetable company sets
Celis it’s only logical to look further
provides advice on the best approach.
itself apart with peppers
ahead. “We’re constantly involved in
And the project has a good chance of
Responding to consumer needs
thinking about new production methods
success, according to Bauke van Lenteren,
around the world
for the future, plus how we can support
stimulates chain collaboration
Introducing snack cucumbers to Brazilian consumers
Internal Red maximises on-shelf impact at Migros
The magazine Chainmail RZ is published in English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and German by Rijk Zwaan Distribution B.V. It is distributed to chain partners worldwide and has a circulation of 8,000. Text and editorial team: Rijk Zwaan Photography: Rijk Zwaan, Tjipke Meijer Lay-out: Drukkerij Van Deventer Printing: Drukkerij Van Deventer Reproduction stating source is allowed. Chainmail RZ has been created with the utmost care. Nevertheless no liability can or will be accepted for any incorrect information. Rijk Zwaan Distribution B.V. Burgemeester Crezéelaan 40 P.O. Box 40, 2678 ZG De Lier The Netherlands T +31 (0)174 53 23 00 F +31 (0)174 53 21 63 E chainmanagement@rijkzwaan.nl www.rijkzwaan.com 2
them with our breeding activities.”
a reality – such as in North America, for
Up on the roof in The Hague
example. “Things are much more spread
UF002 De Schilde, the name of the production
out on that continent, so urban farming is
company in The Hague belonging to the Swiss
essential to bring food production closer
firm Urban Farmers, uses aquaponic production
to consumers. The company Gotham
methods. The system extracts nutrients from the
Greens, based in Chicago and New York, is
excrement of the tilapia fish and these nutrients
doing so very professionally: it produces
are then used as feed for the plants in the rooftop
numerous types of lettuce hydroponically
greenhouse. The plants purify the water, which then
on the rooftops of buildings. Most of
goes back into the fish tanks. Recycling in this way
the crop production in Europe is urban
means that much less water is required than for
farming because the distances from
traditional cultivation. Furthermore, the semi-closed
production to sales markets are much
system and optimal production conditions eliminate
smaller. Where in the USA the main
the need for pesticides or antibiotics.
production area for lettuce is in California,
www.urbanfarmers.nl
Although space-based cultivation may still be some way off, urban farming is already
3000 miles to New York ” Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
rming and plant factories Marketing Specialist Leafies at Rijk
another development is the rising
incidences of plant disease. In Dubai,
Zwaan: “At De Schilde they organise a lot
number of plant factories worldwide.
water is scarce and the climate is hot.
of guided tours which generate revenue
These are windowless, multi-layered
You can regulate the temperature,
and help to keep the company profitable.
facilities where vegetables are cultivated
CO2 level, humidity and artificial light
Consumers and companies are very
under artificial light. The idea of factory-
inside the facilities even better than
interested in visiting.”
made vegetables evokes a reaction
inside greenhouses. Furthermore, plant
that is very different from the nostalgia
factories are not climate-dependent and
associated with those grown in an
they take up less space.”
Sense of freshness up close Apart from this expansive urban farm
urban garden. Van Lenteren: “I expected
there are lots of small-scale initiatives that
consumers to regard it as too artificial,
Suitability for artificial light
bring people and food closer together.
yet it actually appeals to them because
But not all varieties thrive under artificial
Allotments, urban gardens and school
it’s a clean, eco-friendly, efficient and
light and some are more suitable than
gardens are hugely popular, for example,
disease-free production method.”
others for multi-layer cultivation, such as
and restaurants that use ingredients
There are various reasons for establishing
leafies. Celis helps plant factories around
picked from their own greenhouse or
a plant factory. Green Sense Farms
the world to make the right decisions. “At
garden are increasingly common. When
(see box) did it to shorten the fresh
the moment it’s still a matter of growing
Dutch retail chain Albert Heijn ran a
produce chain. In Japan, this method
existing varieties in a certain way, but our
loyalty campaign giving away free pots
of production meets the need for safe
breeders are working hard to develop
of seeds for vegetable gardens, it saw a
food, which is a logical consequence
varieties that deliver optimal performance
considerable rise in sales.
of the Fukushima disaster. Marc Celis
under artificial light. We’re focusing on
“Have you seen the mini greenhouses
gives examples of other reasons: “Hong
tomorrow’s vegetable production – here
sold by IKEA? They’re really popular and
Kong has high humidity and therefore
on Earth, and perhaps even in space.”
come complete with granulate and seeds. People like seeing how vegetables grow, and the consumer seed market is growing
says Van Lenteren.
Fresh herbs grown in store in Berlin
German retailer Metro has responded to
Shoppers at the German grocery
this trend by installing a small greenhouse
chain Metro in Berlin have been
inside one of its stores (see box). “It brings
privileged to a ‘first’ since March
American Green Sense Farms: towards a faster chain
the sense of freshness right up close. To
2016, when a four-square-metre
The North-American company
me, that’s just great marketing. Rijk Zwaan
greenhouse was installed in the
Green Sense Farms cultivates leafy
is happy to support initiatives of this kind
store to grow vegetables and herbs.
vegetables in five plant factories
if they help to make vegetables more
The greenhouse was designed
in densely populated areas. It has
accessible for everyone.”
by the company Infarm, which is
ambitious growth plans for China and
convinced that the future lies in
Canada. The aim is to achieve clean,
vertical farming on a micro scale.
sustainable production of leafies that
www.infarm.de
can be supplied to consumers faster.
in line with this trend. Rijk Zwaan supplies many of those seeds via intermediaries,”
Clean, eco-friendly and disease-free In addition to urban farms of all sizes,
Keen to know more about plant factories? Rijk Zwaan has established a closed online platform
Whereas in the ‘normal’ American fresh produce chain it takes 72 to 120 hours before the vegetables arrive in stores, Green Sense Farms is reducing
called Green Box where experts from Rijk Zwaan share
that down to 24 hours. Rijk Zwaan
their knowledge about hydroponics, plant factories and
is one of the company’s innovation
everything in between. Interested? Send an email to
partners.
greenbox@rijkzwaan.nl. Rijk Zwaan is also a member of the
www.greensensefarms.com
Association for Vertical Farming. See vertical-farming.net. August | 2016
3
Hundreds of positive posts, likes, comments, blogs and tweets
Living lettuce event for food blog European food bloggers have hundreds of thousands of followers, making them an interesting new target group. On 22 April 2016, Rijk Zwaan’s online platform called Love my Salad invited high-profile food bloggers from the Netherlands and Belgium to the fashionable Fenix Food Factory venue in Rotterdam. It was the first event of its kind and it immediately hit the right spot. “All 24 food bloggers were enthusiastic, which was a very nice surprise. This concept could work well in other countries too,” says Maarten van der Leeden, Account Manager Retail.
Hundreds of posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and other social media; eight blogs, complete with inspiring photos, tasty recipes and upbeat stories (e.g. blog by De groene meisjes [‘The Green Girls’]); over 5,000 views on Facebook and 700 on YouTube for the event’s ‘after-movie’ – these are just some of the results from the afternoon of inspiration, where food bloggers heard all about ‘living lettuce’: lettuce sold with its root ball still attached. The event was organised by Rijk Zwaan
see the bloggers marvel at how root ball lettuce is produced on water and the fact that it’s a very clean and eco-friendly product. The supermarkets don’t always get that message across,” comments Annelies Blaauwkamer, Community Manager at Rijk Zwaan and organiser of the event. Upon their arrival back in Rotterdam, the bloggers themselves got hands on with preparing and photographing food. “That’s what they love doing the most, of course, and we ended up with some fantastic photos and delicious food.”
Passion for healthy eating and its chain partner Staay Food Group but branded
Most food bloggers have a passion for food
as Love my Salad. “We purposefully chose to keep
that not only tastes great but is healthy too.
our companies in the background. It revolved
And that’s precisely what ties them to Love my
around living lettuce: Salanova®, Salatrio and the
Salad, Rijk Zwaan’s online platform that aims to
many other variations,” explains Van der Leeden.
inspire people with recipes, tips and facts about
Marvelling at production methods
4
vegetables every day. Blaauwkamer: “We can’t do it alone, however. That’s why we’re so happy
The afternoon included a visit to lettuce producer
about the rising popularity of food bloggers. We
Boer den Hoedt in Ridderkerk. The mode of
all share the same ambition, but each blogger
transport was an old school bus. “It was great to
has their own target group. One might be more Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
oggers hits the right spot focused on health, another on sport and nutrition
every month for the next six months. The boxes
and a third on vegetarian or vegan recipes, for
will contain various lettuce types but also other
example. So we can reach countless different
products. Blaauwkamer: “We’ve now connected
consumers through them.”
with the bloggers, so the next step is to build on
Powerful medium
that.” And there are more ideas for further rolling out the
The numerous posts, likes, comments, blogs
concept. Van der Leeden: “A similar concept could
and tweets prove that the message is getting
work with food vloggers, other chain partners,
through. Van der Leeden: “Our objective was to
other products and in other countries. There are
find new target groups. We wanted to give bloggers
lots of food bloggers in the UK and Germany, for
inspiration for new content, and we succeeded. This
example, and those countries are also important
is the first time we’ve done anything like this but it
sales markets for our products. So we can see
definitely won’t be the last. Food blogs are a very
plenty of opportunities.”
powerful medium. We’re seeing that retailers monitor them closely, so having bloggers cover our product can in turn strengthen our position on supermarket shelves. That’s why we’ll definitely be following up on this event.”
De groene meisjes wrote the following blog about the event Reach: 150,000 followers
A vegetable box every month
[…] Later that afternoon I attended another event: the Living
Rijk Zwaan is doing so by sending
the people behind that really know their stuff. The decor (of the
each food blogger a vegetable box
workshop area at the Fenix Food Factory) was perfect, a school
Lettuce Bloggers Event organised by Love my Salad. And wow,
bus had been arranged to take us to visit a lettuce grower and they’d literally thought of everything: food, drink, scented candles, fresh flowers… yes, that’s the way to win me over. We learnt all kinds of things about different types of lettuce, how to make fabulous dishes using lettuce and then how to take great photos of them. Pretty smart, because every blogger is interested in that. It was a fun afternoon and I’m now looking forward to the spring and summer even more than before because now I know for sure that I’m going to eat lots and lots of salads.
Marianne Lock – blogger and illustrator – captured the essence of the afternoon in this cheerful drawing which was of course subsequently shared generously on social media.
August | 2016
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Australians embrace the sweet piel de sapo melon Three years ago, most Australians were unaware of the deliciously sweet and refreshing flavour offered by the piel de sapo melon. Then Rijk Zwaan, together with a number of visionary growers, introduced its new variety, Ricura RZ: a smaller, more convenient and sweeter version of the traditional types.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the piel de sapo
satisfy Australian consumers’ ever-increasing
melon is commonly known as a ‘Santa Claus’ or
appetite for new flavours, concepts and
‘Christmas’ melon. Its longer shelf life traditionally
multicultural ideas in fresh produce. It is now
meant that the melons harvested in October could
available in supermarkets and specialised stores
be consumed around Christmas time. “Nowadays,
and demand is increasing steadily as consumers
however, consumers have the luxury of enjoying
discover this new sweet melon.
these melons at their best almost every day of the year. They are grown in various production regions,
“Nevertheless, we still have to educate consumers more about the
enabling a year-round supply. You can’t beat that!”
melon’s attributes and how they can select and enjoy a good melon,”
says Maurice Schiavon, Rijk Zwaan Australia’s
comments Maurice. “Ricura RZ melons are not aromatic so there’s no
melon expert.
point in smelling them before purchase or tapping them to listen for a ‘hollow’ sound. The secret to picking a good piel de sapo melon is to
Ricura RZ was originally produced in Australia
select a fairly firm, yellowing olive-coloured melon with ample ‘netting’
specifically for the Asian export market. However,
or ‘cracking’ lines on the skin. This indicates that the melon has been
three years ago one of Rijk Zwaan’s trade partners
harvested at its peak so its pale green-coloured flesh is sweet and ready
introduced it to the domestic retail market to
to eat.”
Wassana Farm supports Thai launch of Golden Emerald melon In close collaboration with Wassana Farm, Rijk Zwaan is rolling out the new Golden Emerald melon 34-248 RZ in Thailand and elsewhere in South-east Asia. This product creates a new segment in the regional market and paves the way for more new product launches in the future. in Thailand to convince all stakeholders
Mrs. Wassana Sukping, Wassana Farm is
in the chain, from seed to shelf, of the
one of the best melon farms in Thailand.
variety’s unique selling points (USPs).
It is investing in new technology
First introduced in 2013, 34-248
as it increasingly shifts towards
RZ was trialled extensively in local
greenhouse cultivation. The company
growing conditions and has now been
is characterised by its willingness to
developed as a high-quality variety for
collaborate and share knowledge
The recent development of the 34-248 RZ
greenhouse cultivation. The 34-248 RZ
with chain partners. Supported by
melon represents opportunities for new
is also performing well for open field
Rijk Zwaan, Wassana Farm now grows
market segmentation in Thailand and
growing. The variety is highly tolerant to
Golden Emerald and sells it through
other South-east Asia countries, where
powdery mildew, has a good size under
supermarkets including Big C, Tops and
the current standard melons are green
dry season productions as well as less
Tesco Lotus. Wassana Farm plans to
with netting. However, this also makes
cracking compared with local standards.
build on this success with the launch of
its introduction a challenge. Rijk Zwaan
With a team of 50 highly professional
other new Rijk Zwaan melon products in
has worked closely with Wassana Farm
employees led by Managing Director
the future.
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Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
Growth of high-density Salanova® in the US market Rijk Zwaan has been working with key customers in creating and expanding the possibilities for mechanically harvesting Salanova® in a high-density scenario. The processing sector is a very mature segment in the US. The traditional lettuce types used are cos, iceberg, butter head, baby leaf, and batavia. However, Rijk Zwaan quickly realised that Salanova varieties offer a possibility to expand this segment with types that do not require so many cutting and processing applications and hence offer efficiency gains for processors. Furthermore, Salanova can be grown at high density (60,000 seeds per acre, equivalent to 45 seeds/m2) and harvested mechanically. This enables growers to supply processors with
popular varieties are the sweet crisp/incised types: Wintex RZ,
the full amount of lettuce needed for their production activities
Telex RZ, Exponent RZ, Exfiles RZ, Expertise RZ and Stefano RZ.”
for sale to retail and/or foodservice clients. Faced with rising labour costs and also labour shortages, the US “The main reasons that customers choose high density over
produce industry is looking for options to improve efficiency at
growing traditional baby leaf, are to achieve extra yield and a
every stage of the chain. “With the combination of types that
longer shelf life, or because of the nice bite of certain varieties,”
are suitable for mechanical harvesting, we can change the way
says Braden Hoover, Crop Specialist Lettuce for Rijk Zwaan
our customers grow and process their products,” concludes
USA. “Within the Salanova line used for high density, the most
Braden.
Lettuce from paradise With its warm sandy beaches, deep blue oceans and palm trees, Hawaii is a tropical paradise. However, thanks to collaboration between Rijk Zwaan USA and local company Pacific Produce, the volcanic island of Maui is also a Paul Singleton en Geoff Haines
production region for high-quality lettuce.
Paul Singleton and Geoff Haines founded Pacific Produce in
ample supply of pure mountain water for the nutrient film
1997 and now grow about 7 hectares of hydroponic lettuce
technique (NFT) outdoor growing systems.
outdoors. Rijk Zwaan lettuce varieties are an important part of their programme, including several Salanova®
The wild pheasant population represents a major pest, so
types, butter lettuce Adantia RZ and romaine types such as
each row is covered in bird netting. The most important
Requena RZ. Pacific Produce employs 22 full-time workers
challenge, however, is downy mildew (Bremia). Paul
and distributes its fresh whole heads of lettuce to high-end
Singleton attributes some of Pacific Produce’s success to Rijk
restaurants, hotel resorts and retail stores in Hawaii.
Zwaan’s mildew-resistant varieties, commenting: “With help from RZ staff, we have transitioned most our varieties to the
The farm is situated near the town of Kula, at about 1,000
very latest Bremia resistance. We also switched from older
metres above sea level along the west side of the dormant
romaine varieties to Requena RZ, which has very high yield
volcano Haleakala. At that altitude, daytime temperatures
potential as well as great colour, leaf shape and appearance.
are consistently in the 20-21° Celsius range and average
The chefs love it!”
rainfall is close to 600mm per year, which ensures an August | 2016
7
Rijk Zwaan helps to dress up the humble burger The increasing demand for trendy, health-conscious meals is a key factor influencing consumers’ choices. By working closely with chefs and growers, Rijk Zwaan was able to help Australia’s Burger Project restaurant group select fancy lettuce variety Othilie RZ to dress up its burgers.
Neil Perry, chef and owner of the Burger Project food service concept in Australia, was keen to connect with growers in the search for fresh produce that ‘fits’ with the company’s provenance-based approach and to share the story behind the specially selected ingredients on his menus. By working closely with local growers, Rijk Zwaan Australia was able to help select the right lettuce
Grower Peter Muscat harvesting Othilie RZ for, Neil Perry’s “The Burger Project”]
variety that would add vibrancy, contrasting colours and additional textures and flavours to chef Perry’s hamburger creations. Othilie
providing personalised and
RZ, the chosen variety, ultimately provides a better leaf for
relevant information about
everybody in the chain – including, of course, consumers.
where their food has come from. And with its ‘Sharing a
In a recent survey, 84 percent of Australian consumers indicated
healthy future’ approach, as
that they are more likely to buy from a business they feel connected
well as initiatives such as Love
to (CommBank’s Retail Therapy research, 2016). This type of
my Salad, Rijk Zwaan is in an
connectivity is creating opportunities for vegetable growers.
excellent position to provide
Restaurateurs are hungry for inspiration and food knowledge so
support.
they can help customers make informed, confident choices by
Collaboration improves service to QSRs in India In a combined effort, Vista Processed Foods and Rijk Zwaan are working
Vista holds international accreditations like SQMS and ISO 20000, and its cultivation activities comply with Good
together to ensure that leading
Agricultural Practices (GAP). The firm operates an end-to-end
quick service restaurants (QSRs)
cold chain; immediately after being harvested, the crops are
and food chains in India receive
first pre-cooled at the farm then transferred to temperature-
a more reliable supply of hygienic
controlled reefer trucks for delivery to the processing unit.
fresh vegetables for use in their end products.
Rijk Zwaan has played an important role in enabling Vista to meet its customers’ needs. “Rijk Zwaan is the only company
Mr Nanja Reddy is manager of Vista
in India that helps growers from seed to harvest,” comments
Processed Foods Pvt. Ltd., a processing
Mr Reddy. “The Rijk Zwaan sales team is always available
company that supplies lettuce,
to advise and guide growers, helping them to expand their
red cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot and tomato as fresh cut (chilled) vegetables to the QSR
own cultivation expertise. And the chain team keeps growers continuously informed on the supply and demand situation to keep things running smoothly.”
segment in southern India. Vista’s customers include global customers such as McDonald’s, Papa John’s and Dunkin Donuts. 8
Vista is now exploring future opportunities including hydroponics, pre-packed salads and possibilities to tie up with high-end QSR chains. Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
lettuce varieties offer new opportunities for fresh cut Cos lettuce Bakkavor’s ambition is to offer convenience, quality and enjoyment to the consumer through fresh prepared foods. To grow their business, produce technologist Lorraine Shaw is always looking for innovation in products and technology. One recent innovation of interest is Knox™. “We were impressed by the results of the first factory trials.”
Bakkavor considers many product attributes when developing new leaf varieties. They not only look for improvements in colour, shape and shelf life, but also believe that agronomical aspects and factory process efficiency are equally important. “We use market trends and inspiration from across the chain to guide our product selections”, says
Lorraine Shaw, Produce Technologist
Lorraine Shaw. “We listen to feedback from our customers and consumers, we have experienced marketing and development teams, and, of course, we use the knowledge
Lorraine Shaw is specialized in leafy vegetables and
of our suppliers. This includes our growers and seed
herbs. The lettuce assortment is very extensive and
companies.”
still widening, but still no other lettuce type can
Close cooperation
match the texture and sweetness of Cos lettuce. “Unfortunately, this type of leaf suffers most from
Bakkavor’s close working relationship with Rijk Zwaan is
cut surface discolouration, otherwise known as
established and successful: Bakkavor was one of the first
pinking, which may partly explain the decline in
companies to introduce Rijk Zwaan’s Salanova® lettuce to the
sales of Cos lettuce bags that we have seen over
UK bagged-salad market. “When we select new development
the past couple of years. This is why we were very
material from Rijk Zwaan trials, we work in cooperation with
interested when Rijk Zwaan told us that they had
our growers and with Rijk Zwaan. This triangle works really
been working on a natural solution to combat
well. Other Rijk Zwaan colleagues may also be involved,
pinking on fresh cut lettuce, which is marketed by
depending on the development phase. We can review early
Rijk Zwaan under the trademark Knox™.”
material directly with the breeders and share ideas about market and sales opportunities with their marketing and
Large factory trials
convenience specialists. We really appreciate the close
Whilst Bakkavor usually starts with field trials
working relationship that we have with Rijk Zwaan”.
followed up by small scale factory trials, they started trialling Knox™ lettuce varieties by assessing relatively large amounts of bagged material. “We gathered an extensive amount of data from the trials, which indicated that the Knox™ lettuce varieties could extend shelf life of the lettuce by at least two days. We still need to gather more data, particularly on agronomical aspects, but this initial result is very encouraging.” “In the first place we see this trait as an opportunity to improve the efficiency of our processes and the reliability of our product. As cos shelf life becomes more consistent, , we can increase our focus on other aspects such as colour, shape and taste. A further step could even be to extend the bag life of products containing cos - that would be fantastic.”
August | 2016
9
Ecoveg gets off to a great start in Tanzania with support from Rijk Zwaan Rijk Zwaan often provides technical support to start-up companies in Tanzania. Ecoveg is a prime example of such a company, which has evolved into a high-quality producer and supplier of peppers to the Mwanza Rock City Mall.
Ecoveg Ltd. was set up by
disease attacks especially by Bacterial
a group of entrepreneurs;
and Fusarium wilt, Ecoveg Ltd under
they started with fisheries
supervision by George Upina, has started
in Lake Victoria and later
a trial of grafted tomatoes by using RZ
with poultry. Recently they saw the big
rootstock (Shelter RZ) with plan to do
business opportunity for vegetables
grafting in all tomatoes in next growing
and a 5,000 m2 shade net house. We
and started vegetable production in
seasons.
have benefited a lot from our very good relationship with George Upina, Product
greenhouses. Today it has more than doubled its production capacity, owns
Ecoveg Ltd. sells its products to hotels as
Development Specialist at Rijk Zwaan on
a 1-hectare Irrico greenhouse, employs
well as wholesalers and supermarkets
technical support and guidance as well
30 people and is a producer, processor
in eastern Africa, including the Mwanza
as in the field of growing technique and
and exporter of a wide range of crops,
Rock City Mall. It grows some of the
greenhouse construction.”
including broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce,
products itself and sources others from
leeks, beef tomatoes (Valouro RZ), cherry
small-scale local greenhouse farmers
Tanzania has a growing middle class that
tomatoes (Fortesa RZ), sweet melons
and smallholder open-field farmers. It
is increasingly buying fresh products in
(Amaral RZ, Caribbean Gold RZ, Natal
has already become one of Rijk Zwaan’s
supermarkets. This opens up excellent
RZ), English Cucumbers (Bologna RZ),
most important customers in Tanzania’s
opportunities for entrepreneurial
Hot peppers (Boomer RZ, Mextizo RZ
Lake Zone district but still has plenty of
producers such as Ecoveg Ltd. who,
and Habib RZ), Beetroots (Larka RZ),
growth ambitions. Hussein Alloo, Director
thanks to Rijk Zwaan’s high-quality
and sweet peppers (Ilanga RZ, Pasarella
of Ecoveg Ltd., comments: “We will soon
varieties, can command very lucrative
RZ, Boogie RZ). To reduce the soil borne
be adding a 1-hectare Astor greenhouse
farm-gate prices.
New Sicilian trial station
Rijk Zwaan has invested in a new trial station on the Italian island of Sicily. Enabling trials of crops including tomato, pepper, aubergine and cucumber, this high-tech facility is another step in opening up new opportunities for collaboration with chain partners at home and abroad.
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Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
Introducing snack cucumbers to Brazilian consumers Rijk Zwaan Brazil has developed the Snackpep brand for mini cucumbers to help growers and retailers introduce snack cucumbers in the Brazilian market. Snackpep is being positioned as a high-quality healthy snack alternative.
The aim of the Snackpep brand is to boost consumer awareness by increasing the recognisability of snack cucumbers, which are a new concept in Brazil. Rijk Zwaan is collaborating with well-established companies to safeguard quality and build the brand together. Its first partners are the companies Fazenda Rio Bonito, an organic producer from São Paulo, and Cia do Produtor, a production company from Rio de Janeiro.
Ubiraci Fernandes, founder and director of Cia do Produtor growers and Rijk Zwaan to achieve the best possible
Snackpep is already being sold through a number of supermarkets based on a network of approved growers. Rijk Zwaan’s partners monitor the product quality and work together with Rijk Zwaan to ensure that
quality in terms of production, packaging, transport and hence shelf life. When we presented Snackpep at a recent event everyone loved it, especially its surprisingly crunchy bite, colour and convenience.”
these growers receive all the technical and marketing Alex Lee from Fazenda Rio Bonito, adds: “Being the
support they need.
first to introduce snack cucumbers is a big challenge Ubiraci Fernandes, founder and
but also rewarding. Although this is a new concept
director of Cia do Produtor,
for Brazil, the market is hungry for innovations. We
comments: “We’ve been involved
also know that healthy snacking is a clear trend with
in the Snackpep project right from
significant growth potential. We hope we can help
the start. We work closely with the
consumers to eat more healthily.”
stimulates chain collaboration The new 19,000-square-metre trial station, which is located
alike. Companies from all stages of the fresh chain can share
in Sicily’s most favourable region for vegetable production,
their insights and ideas about changes in consumption
includes greenhouses for tomato, pepper, aubergine,
trends and consumer wants and needs, especially when
cucumber and other crops. This investment will provide an
it comes to flavour, as the basis for developing innovative
extra base for Rijk Zwaan’s continuous breeding activities,
solutions together.
which in addition to studying varieties also deal with bioinformatics, molecular biology and biochemistry.
This is the latest step in further reinforcing Italy’s position in the global vegetable breeding industry. In addition to
Including state-of-the-art greenhouses, this facility for
another trial station that was recently opened near Latina
exploring the innovative visual and production-related traits
(Lazio), Rijk Zwaan is planning major investment in two
of such a wide range of products will open up interesting
further facilities, one in the north of Italy and the other in
opportunities for closer collaboration with chain partners –
the south, as part of a large-scale project that underlines the
both in Italy and internationally. The trial station will become
country’s growth potential.
an important meeting point for growers, traders and retailers August | 2016
11
Internal Red maximises on-shelf impact at Migros The Jaquenoud family, which has been cultivating fruit and vegetables in Switzerland since the 1930s, recently introduced the innovative ‘Internal Red’ truss variety with its retail client Migros. Internal Red varieties Senserno RZ and 72-720 RZ, have a distinctively bold red colour and an intense flavour, and are presented in specially designed packaging for extra on-shelf impact.
Alban Jaquenoud, Managing Director Swiss company Jaquenoud was founded in the
tomato ideal for use in cold and warm dishes alike.
1930s and has been producing fruit and vegetables
“We always enjoy working with Rijk Zwaan because
ever since. Nowadays, the firm employs 65 people and is specialised in tomatoes and aubergines, including Aromatico (Brioso RZ), which it supplies to food retail chain Migros in Zurich. Jaquenoud’s latest showpiece is the Rosso tomato based on Rijk Zwaan’s Senserno RZ, one of the Internal Red varieties. A special, contemporary and environmentally friendly packaging
Jaquenoud’s latest showpiece is the Rosso tomato
concept has been designed for this product, but that’s not the only reason it stands
of its extensive range of varieties. Furthermore, the crop specialists give us good technical advice
out. Grown in Lully, one
and we have complete faith in the reliability of the
of Switzerland’s major
information we receive,” states Alban Jaquenoud,
agricultural production
Managing Director. “We’re looking forward to
regions, it is the most
adding other flavoursome and high-yielding Rijk
flavour-intensive truss
Zwaan varieties in the future.” The Internal Red
tomato in Migros Zürich’s
Rosso tomato is already available in almost all of
range. Internal Red has
Migros Zürich’s stores.
been specially developed for its bright red flesh and intense aroma. It is also the only truss 12
Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
Thai vegetable company sets itself apart with peppers PDS Foods in Chiangmai, Thailand, has found the perfect solution for the pepper segment in collaboration with Rijk Zwaan. Thanks to the Masillia RZ and Sven RZ varieties, the company produces the fresh ingredients needed by its own processing facility. The tasty red and yellow peppers are ideal for chopping, portioning and freezing for export by PDF Foods to countries such as Japan and processing companies in Thailand.
Owner Khun Dumrongchai Rattanaamornpin made a complete switch a few years ago and now works only with Rijk Zwaan varieties. Following disappointing production levels and crops that were susceptible to disease, he decided to put quality first. Not coming from a horticultural background himself but having a modern greenhouse at his disposal, he made grateful use of the knowledge and expertise provided by Rijk Zwaan. “The company is a true partner for me. I’ve known the company for a very long time now and our relationship is based on
frozen end products in countries including Japan. It
mutual trust. This has created a win-win situation for
also sells its peppers locally. Dumrongchai supplies
us both. I benefit from the best varieties and relevant
part of the harvest to major supermarket chains
technical advice and support, while Rijk Zwaan can
such as Tops, Tesco Lotus and Big C Superstore
trial new varieties at my facility.”
via traders. Dealers also take care of some of the
Production, processing and marketing
Khun Dumrongchai Rattanaamornpin
sales activities. So PDS Foods is a sizeable supplier that is dependent on producing sufficient volume
PDS Foods is much more than just a grower. The
in a consistently high quality. Rijk Zwaan helps
company has its own nursery, cultivates the peppers,
Dumrongchai to achieve that objective. “The highly
then processes them in-house and markets its
productive Masillia and Sven are a good fit with our production system and those nice blocky peppers enable me to provide the best possible quality to all our business units and our customers alike.”
Always at the front of the queue “A partnership like ours isn’t formed overnight. We’ve been in contact with the people at Rijk Zwaan throughout several generations. We’ve also seen various peppers come and go. Whenever there’s a new and interesting variety, Rijk Zwaan always comes to trial it with us. Thanks to these trials and the intensive support, we’re always at the front of the queue. For example, Masillia is an even better successor of Zamboni RZ and Sven is the logical follow-up to Bachata RZ. In illustration of just how important our partnership with Rijk Zwaan is, we were happy to provide our very best peppers to decorate its stand at Horti Asia 2014-2015.” August | 2016
13
Responding to consumer needs Promising as a loose leaf Australian growers have been
pre-packing 3 – 4 hearts and the early
impressed with the results from
results are very exciting.
trials of 41-655 RZ; it has given consistently high quality results across a range of conditions and uses. The 41-655 RZ shows promise as a loose leaf either pillow packed for the retail market, or supplied into the food service sector in bulk
41-655 RZ Crunchy lettuce
boxes. Currently some growers are also assessing the performance of
Harry Turna, Crop coordinator lettuce
Outstanding sweetness invites repeat purchase Caribbean Sunsweet RZ (part of the
easy to spot in in-store displays. This
Caribbean Oro concept) is a golden
melon variety has a long shelf life and a
harper melon with orange flesh. Its
complete package of resistances.
unusual golden-yellow exterior colour gives the melon an enticing, ‘ready to eat’ appearance. It not only looks delicious but also tastes delightful thanks to its wonderful sweetness. With an average brix score of 14.5, the variety is rated very highly on flavour and this taste experience guarantees repeat purchases. Consumer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, not least
Caribbean Sunsweet RZ Melon
14
because the distinctive appearance of Caribbean Sunsweet RZ makes it
Vincent van Wolferen, Marketing specialist Melon & Watermelon Rijk Zwaan | Chainmail
around the world Also suitable for Sicily Cherry tomato is the most important
be produced in the challenging Sicilian
tomato type in Italy. Rijk Zwaan
climate. 74-124 RZ is a double-purpose
introduces with 74-124 RZ a new
variety that is suitable for loose and
variety with perfectly round and shiny
truss harvesting.
red fruits. A traditional taste that they can savour, the 74-124 RZ cherry tomato is a firm favourite among consumers. It is ideal for the gourmet market, both for domestic sales and export. 74-124 RZ comes with a complete package of resistances that adds value for growers, including
74-124 RZ Tomato
TYLCV resistance and cracking resistance, which also enables it to
Massimo Perboni, Crop specialist tomato
Reliable kohlrabi varieties all year round Following three years of intensive
Rijk Zwaan to offer the entire chain
testing, the new Savio RZ kohlrabi
reliable and stable kohlrabi varieties all
variety has been developed specifically
year round.
for indoor winter production in Italy. It is recommended for transplants from early November to early December in the Latina area of Italy. Savio RZ is an early, upright variety with a good balance of leaves and leaf stem. The stems are flexible for easy handling and the bulb is flat, round and smooth. Savio RZ produces a uniform harvest with a good post-harvest attitude.
Savio RZ Kohlrabi
August | 2016
Together with Morre RZ, Volturno RZ and Siret RZ, Savio RZ now enables
Michael Kreitz, Crop coordinator kohlrabi
15
“A further step could even be to extend the bag life of products containing cos - that would be fantastic.”
Lorraine Shaw, produce technologist, Bakkavor
If you have any questions, please contact your local Rijk Zwaan representative or send an email to chainmanagement@rijkzwaan.nl. For a current list of all Rijk Zwaan events, go to www.rijkzwaan.com/events or scan the QR code.
Rijk Zwaan Distribution B.V. | Postbus 40 | 2678 ZG De Lier | The Netherlands | www.rijkzwaan.com