Seeds & Services Chainmail February 2013

F e b r u a r y 2013

Seeds&Services T H E R I J K Z WA A N C H A I N M A I L F O R A L L PA R T N E R S I N T H E C H A I N

Proud of the tastiest pepper All shapes and sizes of Cabbage from around the world Flavour makes Solarino RZ a global success

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Contents 2 Good, better, best: Solarino RZ redefines taste 4 Successful partnership boosts 5 Brand new Salanova® introductions 6 Cabbages from around the world in all shapes and sizes 8 Consistent quality despite a changing product offering 9 Quality and food safety for China’s vegetable sector 10 ‘Contributing and connecting’ 11 Enormous growth for lettuce sales in Ukraine

Good, better, best: Solarino RZ redefines taste In 2012, three Italian growers started the cultivation of mini plum tomato Solarino RZ. Although the companies have different backgrounds and different cultivation methods, the outcome is the same everywhere: Solarino is a good example of a Sensational Flavours variety. The generous crop and good tasting fruits convinced growers to extend the production of this specialty.

12 Willem&Drees puts a human face on sustainability 13 Proud of Palermo RZ, the tastiest pepper in The Netherlands 14 Responding to consumers on a worldwide scale

Colofon The RZ Seeds & Services magazine is published in English, Spanish, Italian, ­Dutch 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: Do Company, Rotterdam Printing: Drukkerij Van Deventer Reproduction stating source is allowed.

RZ Seeds & Services has been created with the greatest 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 Cover: roof garden, Intercontinental Hotel, Qingdao – China with Shawn Geng.

When growers decide to try a new variety, they face several challenges.

A variety may excell during trials, but how does it perform during real conditions? Even more important: how will buyers receive the new product?

A reliable bred variety is the first step to success. Aldo Rovetto of Rijk Zwaan proposed Solarino to grower Antonio Concilio and he decided to seize the opportunity and add this variety to the companies wide range of tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, lettuces and so on. Concilio: “We grow our vegetables organically. Therefore high resistency levels are very important to us. Solarino performed very well on our rich Piana del Sele soil. We introduced the fruit to our customers, both in Italy and other countries, and they were very interested.

They all noted a special taste in Solarino; a special sweetness. They also defined Solarino as a multifunctional tomato.

It’s appropriate for cooking and can intensify the taste of every dish. The beautiful shape and colour inspire children as well as grown ups to enjoy these tomatoes as a healthy snack.”

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Solarino to two hectares, with different planting periods. Locatelli: “This way we can grant our customers the continuity of the fruit from mid May until the end of October.

Positive conclusion

Real surprise In the area south-east of Milano, Soc. Agr. San Maurizio grows Solarino the conventional way. The company cultivated an area of 2,000 square meters of Solarino on substrate, in high tech greenhouses. “This enabled us to have enough produce to introduce to our customers”, Sales Manager Paolo Locatelli explains. “Solarino has been a real surprise. This variety is adapted to our

Achieved favourable position in the mini plum tomato segment of larger supermarkets

growing conditions and to the climate of this area, establishing a place into the top of the mini plum tomato segment.

During the entire cultivation period, the taste has been continuously good, always better than the set standard for this type of tomato.” Next year the company wants to extend the production of

The third company that produced Solarino for the first time in 2012 is the Punzi Group. Just as Antonio Concilio the Punzi Group is located in Piana del Sele, a region well known for the fertile soil and good weather conditions. The locally grown products stand out in great nutritional value as well as genuine and unique flavour. Already Solarino is a part of this trend. Fransesco Punzi, Technical Director, says that right from the start Solarino showed good taste and flavour. “Soon it was top in the mini plum tomatoes segment of the bigger supermarkets. We have always been engaged in high quality productions and for this reason we have chosen Solarino. From the productive point of view the variety has a generous plant.

Other positive characteristics are the early growth and uniformity of fruits.

 Paolo

Locatelli from San Maurizio

 Nunzio

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The world loves mini plum Solarino RZ The United States of America, Australia, Italy and Belgium are all countries which are starting to enjoy the mini plum tomato Solarino RZ. The introduction of this new variety has been very successful.

Understandably, this specialty just excels in sweetness. Its handy size of 10 grams makes Solarino suitable as a snack. A very tasty one, as the value is always high.

Next to its superb fruit quality, Solarino is a pleasant variety to grow. It’s crop has an open structure and the long plants have generative characteristics. Together with the full range of high resistances against diseases, Solarino makes a great tomato for every grower.

The intense and brilliant red color, the high content of sugar and the taste. ­These all add up to a positive conclusion: Solarino perfectly fits the wishes of the final consumers.” 

Punzi from Punzi Group

 Antonio

Concilio

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Successful partnership boosts Arcadian Harvest mix Right from the start of Rijk Zwaan’s Salanova projects, Marketing manager Gina Nucci of Mann Packing was interested in the unique Salanova lettuce. “I really ‘stalked’ their development specialists. We just had to get our hands on that product!”

The cooperation between Mann Packing and Rijk Zwaan goes way back. Gina Nucci: “We share the same vision; the love for special quality vegetables. We are not afraid to put money and marketing behind these unique products. Salanova is a perfect example of our innovative partnership.

The multi-leaf characteristic, flavour profile and texture are just great for our Arcadian Harvest mix. In order to create even better varieties and new types, Mann Packing communicates its wishes and demands to Rijk Zwaan. It is a profitable cooperation and since the launch of the Arcadian Harvest mix, sales have increased three hundred percent. ”

Inspiring trials “We invite the breeders and show them our production areas and processing lines. I am sure that once they have experienced our processes they have a better understanding of what improvements we require. Varieties for high-density mechanical harvesting are important for us, just as long shelf life is.

In Europe seven days may be sufficient,

here in the Californian desert we need a shelf life of fourteen to sixteen days.

In return Rijk Zwaan invites us to their demo fields in Europe and America and last year I was so fortunate to visit the Leafy Event. It’s very inspiring to see all the Salanova’s at once!”

Salanova® Butter “Another very important aspect of our relationship is the mutual incentive to try and create innovative products.

We love the new Salanova butterhead with its open heart. It is similar to baby leaves, but has much more body on a plate and a better, sweeter flavour. We encouraged Rijk Zwaan years ago to develop a Salanova butter type and it is great to see the results of years of breeding activity. Other products that we are testing are the sweet little gems and the gourmet whole head butter head. “

Mann Packing Mann Packing (California) is a leading provider of innovative, washed and ready to eat fresh vegetables.

They are one of the world’s largest suppliers of fresh broccoli, distributing more than 35 fresh vegetables under the Sunny Shores® brand. The Arcadian Salad mix is a four leaf mix, containing Salanova varieties with a diversity of textures, colours and flavours, including Triplex RZ, Expedition RZ and Explore RZ.

 Gina

Nucci from Mann Packing

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Brand new Salanova® introductions Dark green butterhead

Complete new leaf type

Rijk Zwaan introduces the first ‘dark’ green Salanova butterhead lettuce: 79-110 RZ. A real feast for the eyes as the leaves of this new Salanova variety excel in colour. The beautiful dark green slowly changes in gradients of light green to a blond green. Therefore 79-110 RZ is strong against yellow edges and haloing, its color wil remain nice and green on the field. Other advantages of this Salanova type are its more upright growing habit. This characteristic makes the lettuce easier to harvest. Just as all other varieties in the Salanova range, 79-110 RZ is good for at least four times more leaves then in a normal butterhead type.

Limited trial seed available

A Batavia frill, an oak leaf lob and a nice red color. You have never seen such a surprising type of lettuce. With 79-93 RZ Rijk Zwaan enriched the Salanova range with a complete new leaf type. Call it what you like, Rijk Zwaan says it is unique. Not only is 79-93 RZ a special lettuce, but it is one that endulges the consumer endless as this variety has a very high amount of leaves per head. Growers benefit from 79-93 RZ’s narrow stem with little pink discoloration. The small cut surface makes this Salanova type perfectly suitable for machine harvesting.

Limited trial seed available



79-110 RZ



79-93 RZ

Salanova® wins Fresh Market Award Salanova® was distinguished with the ‘Product of the Year’ award in Poland back in September. According to the judges, the convenience of this lettuce is a perfect fit with the rapidly changing Polish market. The judges were right judging from the enthusiasm of visitors to Rijk Zwaan’s stand at the Fresh Market Fair & Conference in Warsaw for the ‘convenience lettuce’, which separates into numerous small, ready-to-eat leaves with just one cut. Managing director Przemek Opiola from Rijk Zwaan Polska expressed his pride at winning the award. “We are continually striving to further increase awareness of Salanova® among our business partners: its ease of preparation, delicious taste and wide variety. Winning the Fresh Market Award has given us a tremendous boost!” The Fresh Market Award is handed out annually to the most innovative product in Poland’s fruit and vegetable sector.  Rijk

Zwaan Poland is proud that Salanova® has achieved recognition.

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Cabbages from around the world in all shapes and sizes Futurima RZ Red: ‘Fine veins’

 Elio

Brunetti – grower, Northern Italy

Estrema RZ Semy Savoy: ‘Uniform and flexible’ Habitants of the Piemonte region in Italy frequently enjoy, locally grown savoy cabbage. The popularity of this product is also spreading slowly to the other regions of Northern Italy. Elio Brunetti delivers the desired cabbage. For three years in a row he has grown savoy Estrema RZ close to Turin. “Estrema is easy to grow in different conditions.

Hot or cold, the yield sums up to an average of 2,3 to 2,7 kilo. It is good and uniform, compared to the traditional varieties. Estrema is very flexible in the final market destination. When grown densely, I harvest relatively light colored cabbage with medium blistering.

Perfect for the fresh market. On the other hand, when grown less dense you can harvest an Estrema for markets that require more blistered and dark savoy.

Multipurpose!” 

 Matei

 Adri

den Dekker – purchasing manager, Hak

Red cabbage is one of the oldest cabbage crops and is suitable for both the fresh and industrial markets. Dutch producer of preserved vegetables Hak includes it in several product lines, both on its own and mixed. For example, its tasty red cabbage with apple is a firm favourite with Dutch and Belgian consumers.

Purchasing manager Adri den Dekker: “Since Hak works to high standards of quality, only the best cabbages are considered for processing. That’s why we work with Futurima RZ. The variety has been consistently meeting our criteria for the past five years: it has a good taste, nice internal colour and fine veins – which are key to the visual appeal, since we package the cabbage in glass jars. Size and shelf life are important too.

In October we process the cabbages directly from the field, but some of them are stored until mid-February, and their quality remains good even then.” 

Vasile – grower, Romania

Tacoma RZ Semi flat: ‘Perfect color’ The main purpose of semi flat cabbage is whole head fermentation. But due to its very pleasant taste Rijk Zwaan variety Tacoma RZ is also consumed fresh.

The semi flat type is popular in EastEuropean countries like Romania. Matei Vasile grows Tacoma only 38 km from Bucharest. “I prefer this hybrid because of its perfect color. The exterior leaves are dark green near bleu and the interior leaves are very light green near white.

Other qualities are Tacoma’s good uniformity, flexible weight and size. If the buyer wants 4 kilo heads, I use a plantdensity of 30,000 plants per hectare and if he prefers 2 kilo heads I increase the density to 45,000. Both ways, Tacoma has a vigorous crop with good roots. The waxy leaves are strong against trips and the variety is highly resistant against fusarium.” 

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Storema RZ Storage: ‘Very long life’

Ancoma RZ White: ‘Vitamin-C packed’

 Jorge



Cor Schoutsen – grower, The Netherlands

Cabbage intended for storage is harvested in October and November and subsequently placed in cold storage. This enables growers to keep cabbage for sale from storage until July. Storema RZ offers several important benefits: Storema is not only one of the best varieties for very long-term storage, but it is also easy to cut and clean and produces relatively little waste. The labour productivity of harvesting and cleaning is becoming increasingly important to growers. Paul Schoutsen, cabbage grower from the Dutch province of North Holland, sold the last of his Storema at the end of June 2012 – and they were still as green as grass. “Circumstances beyond our control can sometimes mean that not all of the cabbage fits into our cold storage facility after harvesting. In that case, it’s reassuring to know that Storema can also be kept in ambient storage for a few months without its quality suffering,” says Schoutsen. 

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Evaristo – grower, Portugal

Teama RZ Pointed: ‘Perfect size’ Pointed cabbage is particularly popular in northern European countries.

From November until May, some of these products come from Jorge Evaristo in Portugal. The company currently grows Teama RZ for customers in Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but there is potential interest in Italy and Poland too. “The good weather conditions are ideal for producing high-quality pointed cabbage, and Teama makes this even easier.

This variety meets the demands of our customers. Most important of all: Teama has a perfect shape and size, even during the winter season. The weight of the cabbage varies from 0.7 to 1.0 kg and its shape is just right – not too pointed and narrow. Last but not least, Teama has a high vigour and strong stem which gives a better yield during the harvest.” 

 Wojciech

Wasiak – Rijk Zwaan employee, Poland

Poland loves Ancoma RZ. It’s the basic white head variety cultivated in Dominik Company, seated in Mierzyn, near Brodnica. According to Wojciech Wasiak from Rijk Zwaan Polska, this big company has grown Ancoma for seven years now. “And it still fullfils all their trading expectations, both for domestic and foreign markets. Ancoma is highly tolerant against local diseases, it is a stable variety in terms of quality and makes good uniform heads. In addition to this, every year the cabbage provides a reliable yield with good storage values and without the tendency towards splitting. After being stored, the heads become white and peel off neatly which reduces the processing expenses considerably. The very thin leaves produce a supreme quality end product. The sauerkraut produced from Ancoma is crispy and vitamin- C packed.” 

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Consistent quality despite a changing product offering Dutch restaurant chain La Place sets the bar high for itself. While values such as ‘fresh’, ‘natural’ and ‘sustainability’ are important, right at the top of the list is ‘taste’.

To achieve this, the company is continually on the lookout for new products. “That’s why we enjoy working with Rijk Zwaan,” says purchaser Guido ten Hengel from La Place.

 Koen

The company first had contact with Rijk Zwaan around 10 years ago when Ten Hengel came across ‘convenience lettuce’ Salanova®. This product has since become a firm fixture in the restaurant chain’s offering. Rijk Zwaan and La Place have developed a close partnership. “At La Place, we’re always searching for the tastiest recipes and the best ingredients,” comments Ten Hengel. “Thanks to our contact with Rijk Zwaan, we’re always one of the first to hear about the latest innovations.”

Furthermore, it is a two-way partnership, as his product development colleague Koen Willems explains: “If there’s anything we specifically want, we’re always welcome to tell them – and we do so regularly.”

Visit Since La Place considers it important for its employees to have adequate product knowledge, all of its departmental heads visit Rijk Zwaan once a year. Ten Hengel: “We go on a ‘fruit & vegetable day’ which encompasses the entire supply chain, including a grower and a distribution centre.” This year, the La Place group visited Rijk Zwaan’s Trial Center Tomato in Kwintsheul for the

Willems (left) and Guido ten Hengel from La Place.

first time, where La Place learned about the Mecano RZ tomato variety – and that alone made the trip worthwhile.

“We’d been looking for a firm tomato variety for some time, so that our staff would no longer have to cope with varying levels of juiciness during preparation” recalls Willems. “Our aim was to find a multi-purpose variety, because it wouldn’t be feasible to source a different variety for each situation.”

After attracting attention because of its taste, the Mecano was rigorously tested at La Place’s own catering school in Utrecht. Ten Hengel: “We and the management team regularly test new products there. And Mecano passed with flying colours: the tomato proved to be ideal for a wide range of uses, from soups to salads!”

Contracts La Place has contracted Zorgkwekerij Osdorp in Amsterdam to grow Mecano.

“Although we have a preferred service provider, Vroegop Windig, we regularly sign separate, multiyear contracts with individual growers,” states Ten Hengel.

“That guarantees the availability of our ingredients and, along with the variety

itself, contributes to maintaining a consistently high quality at La Place.” 

La Place La Place has around 130 outlets in The Netherlands, including in V&D department stores, at motorway service stations and in canteens. It fulfils various consumer needs through a range of formats – from restaurants to chocolate shops – all day long. The chain’s product offering is continually evolving, with fruit and vegetable items accounting for an estimated 70% of its purchasing volume.

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Quality and food safety for China’s vegetable sector There are more than 300 million farmers and horticulturists in China.

While they are enjoying ever-increasing financial success, the sector continues to face some major challenges. A special task force of companies, including Rijk Zwaan, has been lending a helping hand in recent years, which has proved to be successful.

 Bayer,

One of the biggest problems facing the Chinese agricultural sector is the large number of links in the chain between the rural farmers and urban consumers.

As a result, growers lack information about market demands and the focus is on short-term success. For the same reason, food safety receives insufficient attention, despite it being an increasingly important topic in China. In view of this situation, Consultancy firm Star Farm took the initiative in 2010 to organise a task force which included Metro Cash & Carry, Bayer CropScience and Rijk Zwaan, among others. The project aimed to raise vegetable standards, es-

Starfarm, Metro and Rijk Zwaan; a fruitful cooperation.

pecially in terms of safety, through a transparent and sustainable approach.

Selecting the varieties The project was based in the city of Jiaxing in the Zhejiang province. First of all, four crops were chosen: Tomato, Aubergine, Pepper and Cucumber. Then, in close collaboration with Metro, Rijk Zwaan put together a selection of suitable varieties including the Aubergine variety Brigitte RZ and the Cucumber variety Deltastar RZ. These decisions were influenced not only by the preferences of Metro’s customers, but also by the climate in Jiaxing. For each variety,

Bayer CropScience drew up a crop protection plan and Star Farm arranged for training, coaching and the exchange of best practices. Rijk Zwaan itself remains intensively involved with the project, not only offering specific technical advice about how to cultivate the varieties but also gathering input for use in its further development work.

Impressive results It is now two years since the project was launched and the results are impressive.

First and foremost, the varieties and technical approach are achieving considerably higher yields per square metre.

With Brigitte, for instance, growers have produced 66 percent more than the local standard. As a result, farmers’ earnings are up too, with Aubergine growers seeing an average increase of 137 percent.

Equally important, the products are of a high quality. All the vegetables tested complied with the legal residue limits and exceeded Metro’s quality requirements. The most important benefit of all is most likely a long-term one. This chain project has helped to improve local growers’ technical expertise and they now have a better understanding of the importance of food safety. 

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facebook.com/Lovemysalad 37.000 likes.

‘Contributing and connecting’ The goal of Lovemysalad.com and all of its fans, is for fresh cut salads to be the main component on the plate and to make vegetables fashionable again. With initiatives like these, growers and the entire chain, can help. Not only by contributing produce, ideas and enthusiasm, but also by connecting with other salad lovers and working together to increase vegetable consumption.

Three Western Australian based growers shared their passion for salads at the Perth Royal Show in October 2012. It was another successful Love my Salad event highlighting the fun, joy and vitality associated with salads.

 ‘Making

Love my Salad is the worldwide social salad network, initiated by Rijk Zwaan.

For growers this platform is a good way to have direct contact with the consumer.

This is confirmed by Damien Rigali of Gourmet Fresh Farms, who provided his freshly harvested produce and demonstrated his favourite salads in the ‘My Habitat Sustainable Garden’ in Perth. “Not often do we get the chance to receive direct feedback from consumers.

Answering a diverse range of questions gave us a brief insight into what they are thinking. One day, the audience were interested in learning about complimentary dressings that would

vegetables fashionable again.’

bring to light the flavours of the salads rather than drown them.

Love My Salad provides all of us with new creative ideas

Something different

Fresh and tasty

For Lachlan Grierson of SupaFresh, the event emphasised the enormous potential for salads: “Everyday-life is often so busy and we fall into a routine. Sometimes, we need to be encouraged to try something different and Love My Salad does this. Love My Salad provides all of us with new creative ideas and renewed confidence in trying different salad combinations through the discovery of new flavours, colours, and textures to create magnificent tasty dishes.”

Connecting directly with consumers can sometimes lead to real eye openers, says Maureen Dobra, owner of the Loose Leaf Lettuce Company and President of the Western Australian Vegetable Growers Association. “So many people who tried our delicious salads during the Show couldn't believe how fresh and tasty they were. One man was so impressed by my Cos salad that he had four servings! The expressions on consumers’ faces were most gratifying…” 

Healthy future Part of the annual Perth Royal Show is the ‘Yellow Brick Road’ family trail that featured Love my Salad. Families participated by following the trail, entering competitions and enjoying all sorts of sustainable activities. Love my Salad donated 20,000 Salanova lettuce seedlings to complement this year’s theme of Food and Farming. Children potted their own vegetable seedling, took it home to nurture it, watch it grow and then enjoy a delightful meal from it. “We were surprised at the lack of general knowledge about vegetables, and how to use them. People are really scared to try new or different types, and even combinations. It is clear we as an industry have to invest more in sharing knowledge. It is great to see Love my Salad taking the initiative, encouraging children to learn about growing edible plants, to establish a home vegetable garden and to connect happiness with eating interesting salads.”, says Dusanka Milunovic, who coordinated the project for Rijk Zwaan Australia. “In the end, children are our future. You can never start too early teaching them about the benefits of enjoying fresh salads!”

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Enormous growth for lettuce sales in Ukraine For a long time, lettuce was not a very big product in Ukraine.

Retailer Fozzy saw the big opportunities for the product and, together with Rijk Zwaan, started to develop the market.

The result? Almost a doubling of the sales of lettuce within two years time.

Traditionally, iceberg lettuce is the main lettuce type in the Ukraine.

Other lettuce types were less familiar and also quite expensive, because products were all imported from other countries. Sergey Schvedov, manager Fruit & Vegetables of Fozzy Group realized that the solution could be found in an increase of ‘domestic lettuce’.

“Together with Rijk Zwaan we went looking for suitable varieties and the best growers to grow them. We found a very good partner in Kogorta, who was able to produce a top quality Salanova for us. This turned out to be a very good step. Now we were able to offer our customers completely new lettuce types, for the same price as when we imported these products.”

Information and inspiration However, there was still a challenge for Fozzy. Lettuce in general is a re-

 Vadim

Sokhatsky from Kogorta.

latively new product to the Ukrainian consumers. Especially with newer leaf types people have to see the extra value. “When we introduced the new products to our customers in 2010, we knew we had to give them extra information and inspiration, that’s why we put signs with our vegetable shelves.

For every type we showed them the  Sergey

We are now able to offer our customers completely new lettuce types

name, a short description and the grower behind the product. Also we did some large marketing activities, like distributing information booklets and creating point-of-sale as well as placing advertisements in relevant magazines. Among other things, these communications included inspirational recipes, to show consumers the wide range of possibilities with these new textures, colours and flavours.”

In two years time, the sales of lettuce in the Ukraine almost doubled.

But Rijk Zwaan as well as Fozzy are convinced that there is still a lot to win. In November 2012 Rijk Zwaan Ukraine therefore organized – together with Kogorta and Fozzy - a ‘lettuce day’. The main goal of this event was to exchange experiences with the production as well as the marketing of all lettuce types. Also, it included a

Schvedov, manager of Fruit & Vegetables from Fozzy Group.

presentation about Lovemysalad.com, the social salad network that has been initiated by Rijk Zwaan. “With Love my Salad we can take the next step in increasing lettuce consumption”, says Sergey Schvedov. “It allows direct contact with consumers, so we can gather important information about their preferences in tastes, colors and shapes.”

Healthier menu Fozzy and Kogorta also chose to start printing QR codes on the Salanova packaging. When consumers scan this code with their tablet or smartphone, they arrive on a page with extra information about the company Kogorta and their products. Also they will find a number of inspiring recipes.

“With this approach we expect more and more fans of Salanova and other lettuce types. Our country is ready to move to a healthier menu, with tasteful salads in the central role!” 

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Willem&Drees puts a human face on sustainability At a time when it seemed everything had to be available all year round, distributor Willem&Drees launched an interesting concept.

Since 2009, the company has been building a national network in which fruit and vegetable products are grown and sold regionally.

The result: an abundance of wonderful, seasonal products on the shelves.  Marion

It’s the job of Marion Schoenmakers, purchaser at Willem&Drees, to translate the regional objectives into an appealing product offering, grown by enthusiastic suppliers. “Not every farmer is suited to this project. Their views on sustainability need to match ours, of course. Many of our growers have become disillusioned with the anonymity of international trade and are keen to re-establish local contact with consumers. One thing is for sure: they need to be passionate about

Willem&Drees Willem Treep and Drees Peter van den Bosch are two entrepreneurs who succeeded in launching a flourishing distribution business with the focus on regional trade links – a company that brings transparency back into the food chain. The concept revolves around making potatoes, fruit and vegetables grown by local farmers available through shops in the same area: good, honest and top-quality products.

Schoenmakers (left) and Drees Peter van den Bosch.

‘Collaboration is key to achieving ambitions’ both their work and their products – which don’t necessarily have to be organic. However, we recently attained 100% organic certification for our entire potato and vegetable range in response to demands from consumers and

retailers alike. Luckily there are enough enthusiastic growers around. But it’s not easy – the fresh products we supply remain at the mercy of the seasons and regional growing conditions.”

Inspiration welcome Willem&Drees draws much of its inspiration from close by. “Collaboration is key to achieving our ambitions,” says Marion. “We are continually looking for the best growers, the most interested retailers and even better products. Rijk Zwaan is a good partner who offers practical solutions. Product manager Heleen Bos often draws my attention to varieties with a larger harvest window or better disease resistances or we’ll work together to devise growing plans for suppliers. Our farmers are usually open to trying something new. The Salanova in the pot is a great example. In early spring, one of our growers who had some space in his greenhouse agreed to plant Salanova for us. By late March/ early April, we were delivering the young lettuce plants – with pot and all – to local shops. It was rewarding to see how enthusiastic consumers were.” 

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Proud of Palermo RZ, the tastiest pepper in The Netherlands and hence further increase sales. “Despite its recent growth, it remains a niche product and many people are still unfamiliar with it.”

The company A.C. Hartman from the Dutch town of Sexbierum officially grows The Netherlands’ best pepper: the sweet pointed pepper Palermo RZ. This recognition has given Jeroen Hartman extra encouragement to increase sales.

Lovemysalad.com

 Jeroen

Hartman began growing sweet, pointed peppers around 20 years ago for the grocery chain Albert Heijn. The company initially cultivated a different variety but sought an alternative when virus problems arose. “Rijk Zwaan introduced us to the Palermo variety,” recalls Hartman. “They actually advised against this variety for the Dutch climate, but we were a bit headstrong. Rather than focusing on the yield per m2 and plant growth, we wanted the right

We and Rijk Zwaan share a passion for the best possible quality

Hartman

panded as Albert Heijn saw the sweet pointed pepper become increasingly popular with its shoppers. “And that’s not really surprising,” says Hartman. “It has an excellent yet not too pronounced taste, which means that it appeals to children and older people alike.”

Palermo’s impressive flavour characteristics received official recognition last year when it won the ‘Best Pepper of The Netherlands’ award. Out of more than 20 entries, Palermo was chosen as the favourite by both the judging panel and consumers. This motivated Hartman to raise awareness of the pointed pepper

About Hartman size of fruit, the best flavour and highest possible quality.”

All year round Trials proved that Palermo grew well – both in The Netherlands and at the company’s facilities in Spain, which enabled the product to be supplied all year round. Over the next 10 years, the size of the cultivation area gradually ex-

A.C. Hartman BV is one of Europe’s largest commercial greenhouse growers. The company’s glasshouses are situated in the north of The Netherlands, the region with the most hours of sunlight. Cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes and aubergines are grown on 50 hectares of land. Hartman is committed to sustainability and all of its products are grown carbon neutrally.

For a few months, stickers displaying the words ‘Best Pepper in The Netherlands’ were included on the Palermo packaging, which resulted in a considerable sales boost. Furthermore, Hartman is exploring the opportunities offered by Lovemysalad.com, the online platform initiated by Rijk Zwaan to facilitate contact between the professional vegetable chain and consumers.

“We hope to create a snowball effect by helping consumers to share their enthusiasm with others.”

Rijk Zwaan crop advisors are also closely involved with Palermo’s cultivation. “We and Rijk Zwaan share a passion for the best possible quality. In addition to optimising the yield, this means above all that we focus on ensuring healthy and vital plants, which ultimately benefits their flavour. It’s no coincidence that we grow the tastiest pepper in The Netherlands!” 

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Responding to consumers on a worldwide scale

Alberto Cuadrado Salmerón, Chain Project Manager Iberica

‘Handy size’

Hans Bouman, Area Manager Japan

‘Consistent sweetness’

Watermelon is a very popular fruit in all mediterranean countries. In Spain the consumption amounts are an impressive 8 kilos per capita! The black watermelon is one of the types frequently enjoyed by the Spanish people. Just like the Spaniards, the inhabitants of mainly the Balcan areas, Italy and Romania appreciate these nice and shiny black fruit.

This type is lovely as a dessert and also frequently eaten as a refreshment or appetizer. Traditionally the size of the black watermelon has been rather big: over 5 kg. But that is about to change!

Alberto Cuadrado proudly introduces two handy new varieties 61-104 RZ and 62-107 RZ. “These small watermelons are black in colour and have extremely tasty flesh. The most distinctive is their more rational size, between 2 and 3 kg.

A handy size wich will be embraced by both local and export markets, I am sure. We have succesfully tested them

in the mediterranean countries and are now expanding our experience in North,

Central and South America.” 

Mostly consumed in salads and as fruit, only the best beef tomatoes are good enough for the selective Japanese buyers.

They prefer their tomatoes large - more than 200 gram - with a pink color, relatively soft fruit flesh and a very sweet tasting. So, especially for the Japanese market, Rijk Zwaan introduced a wide range of these traditional Pink Beef Tomatoes, named Animo. Hans Bouman: “Animo is marketed in Japan by our partner Asahi Industries. Although we focus on the Japanese market, the beef tomatoes are also enjoyed in Korea, China and Taiwan.

Strong points of the Animo varieties are

the yield, taste and shelf life, combined with its strong set of disease resistances, of which TYLCV (Tomato Yellow Leaf Curling Virus) is the most important one.

This resistance and its ability to maintain a continuous fruit setting throughout a long cultivation season makes our Japanese Pink Beef Tomatoes stand out from all its competitors and a winner. 

61-104 RZ en 62-107 RZ

Animo RZ

Seeds&Services | February 2013

Rara Dewayanti, Chain Manager Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore

‘Locally popular’

Peppers are a relatively new product in Indonesia and Malaysia. Previously it was only used for celebrations, like marriages. But now, with the upcome of many pizza and pasta restaurants, peppers are becoming more popular with the young people. According to Rara Dewayanti, farmers are picking up the demand. “Growing peppers has a high value. Farmers sell their product to local supermarkets, where it’s presented in nice individual packaging, and for export markets. In Indonesia about 40 percent of the peppers are exported to Singapore where there is a large Chinese community. Pepper fits very well into the chinese stir-fried cuisine. Customers demand a nicely blocky shaped fruit, not too big but with a thick wall. Massilia RZ fits this description perfectely. Farmers embrace this variety, mainly because it sets very well under lowlight conditions, the rainy season and in the heat as

well as the dry season. The quality and shape of Massilia continues till the end of the crop.” 

Filipinos like to eat gherkins with their meals. The prickly American type, approximately 12 centimetres long, is grown in the region and processed in local factories. The harvested products are placed in a brine solution and left to stand for several weeks to pickle them.

The products are then processed and packaged in jars containing vinegar.

“The Puccini RZ variety is ideal for this,” explains chain manager Gerard Hulisz from Rijk Zwaan. “It produces gherkins which are suitable for both slicing and chopping. Pickling makes the gherkins

particularly firm and gives them a long shelf life, which are the two main reasons why this variety is rapidly becoming more popular than the standard local variety. Other benefits are its good resistances and the fact that Puccini is parthenocarpic, which means that the fruits are seedless. Last but not least, it produces higher yields than other varieties.” 

Massilia RZ

Gerard Hulisz, area manager for Africa and Southeast Asia

‘Pickling lends firmness’

Puccini RZ

15

Gina Nucci Marketing manager at Mann Packing:

“We share the same vision; the love for special quality vegetables”

For an up-to-date list of Rijk Zwaan events, visit www.rijkzwaan.com/events If you have any questions, please contact your local Rijk Zwaan representative or send an e-mail to chainmanagement@rijkzwaan.nl Rijk Zwaan Distribution B.V. | Burgemeester Crezéelaan 40 | 2678 KX De Lier | The Netherlands | www.rijkzwaan.com