fitonews-20 by SEMILLAS FITÓ

No. 20 April 2019

Fitó News 20

EDITORIAL

“First comes the seed” was a slogan of ANOVE - the Spanish Seed Association - in the 1980s. Indeed, the seed sector is one of the most fundamental links in the value chain of the agrofood and textile industries, among others. This position compels us to be a small but strategically valuable sector: without our constant effort to deliver our seeds to all farmers and continuously improve our varieties, not only would some raw materials like cotton be more expensive, but so would food and we would even run the risk of shortages and famine. As a sector where professionalism and an ethical commitment to our own self-determination are so critical, we, as seed producers, must never forget our responsibilities in this regard. To drive this point home, we’d like to share a few reflections in this regard: Who delivers the seed to the farmer? That is the role of private companies around the world. Although some NGOs and governments have wanted to get involved, it is important to remember that charging for seeds not only ensures the sustaina-

bility of the system but also adds value to genetics. Sustainability begins by giving farmers a relevant added value: if the farmer pays more but doesn’t get more for his money, he’ll stop buying quality seed. However, once we’ve created the added value, we can’t afford for others to take ownership of that innovation and sell the product without any return for the breeder. So in this regard the defence of intellectual property is fundamental to keeping the system sustainable Who should develop new varieties? Plant breeding is a risky activity: it costs money and there is no guarantee of success. To incentivize the assumption of these risks, there are mechanisms in place to ensure a return on investment in the event of success. In the seed sector, the UPOV Convention set the rules for those incentives, defined by two elements: • On the one hand, what is protected is defined as a combination of genes. In other words, we cannot protect a single gene, no matter how new it may be. Just as with copyrights, where writers protect combinations of words.

Fitó News 20

• On the other hand, we have the exception of the investigator’s work, where all plant breeders benefit from the work of the others who have come before them. This allows for new players to enter the sector and for advancements made in more profitable segments to be used in less lucrative segments or markets. It is, therefore, an open and democratic system and it must be preserved as such. Who should introduce a new variety into a species? Here we would be talking about new genes. Given the high risk and the absence of protection mechanisms in the UPOV convention, this activity was traditionally reserved for research centres and seed banks. This system safeguarded universal access to genetics. The emergence of biotechnology applied to genetics led to the use of patents as a mechanism for protecting intellectual property. This provided incentives for the appearance of new genes, but limited some breeders’ access to markets and diverted some of the added value to the owners of those patents. This, combined with the exorbitant cost of obtaining authorization from the patent holders, has raised barriers that keep new players out. Our sector has

ceased to be open and democratic and has become an oligopoly. One need only look around to realize that this is the reality in many sectors, but it is our professional and ethical responsibility to challenge ourselves and to decide if this is the future we want for ourselves and our sector.

PROXIMITY

Fitó News 20 Proximity

FITÓ AT THE AGROALIMENTARIA EXPO Our products were on display at Expo AgroAlimentaria Guanajuato, one of the most important trade fairs in Latin America.

From 13 to 16 November we attended the AgroAlimentaria Expo in Irapuato, Guanajuato (Mexico). This is an event that’s been happening since 1996, attracting companies that wish to showcase their agricultural products and agrobusiness technology, as well as visitors interested in the latest developments in the field of agricultural production and marketing. Semillas Fitó’s stand was located in the crops and greenhouses area. In addition to the stand, we also had a space in the greenhouse, where we exhibited different varieties of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. The Nurizeli pumpkin was on display in a macro tunnel in front of the stand.

Fitó Mexico team at the AgroAlimentaria Expo in Guanajuato.

The expo was attended by all members of the sales team in the area, as well as the distributors of Semillas Fitó in Mexico, with whom year-end meetings were held to mark the end 2018 and the beginning of 2019. Trade fairs allow us to get closer to the market and prospect for new customers. In this sense, the Expo was very successful, since agreements were signed with new customers who were especially interested in our Telmo, Centauro and the new Zeus cucumber varieties.

Fitó News 20 Proximity

REINFORCING OUR PRESENCE IN THE GOLF SECTOR Some of the most important events in the golf industry took place at the end of the year, where all of our new products were on display, giving us the chance to reinforce our visibility in a sector of great importance to Semillas Fitó lawns.

AEGG members

Annual meeting of the Spanish Association of Golf Course Managers (AEGG) The annual meeting of the Spanish Association of Golf Course Managers took place in Oliva Nova Golf, Valencia at the end of November. Semillas Fitó is recognized in the golf course sector for our professionalism and the quality of our products, and on this occasion we were able to present the new variety of paspalum vaginatum, Pure Dynasty, an excellent solution for situations of salinity on greens, tees, fairways and roughs, as well as athletic fields and landscaping. According to Josep Cirera, Sales Director of the Turf Grass Division, “The Golf sector is growing and is going to demand more sustainable and differentiated products”.

Fitó News 20 Proximity

40th anniversary of the Spanish Greenkeepers Association (AEdG) annual conference AedG celebrated its 40th anniversary at the annual conference which was held in Seville last November. We participated as a sponsoring member of the Association, which drew a large number of visitors and professionals in the sector who were very interested in our Luminary variety of creeping bentgrass (agrostis stolonifera) that is called to mark the beginning of an era in the coming years. The many discussions enabled us to get a feel for what is happening in the sector today and exchange opinions with leading professionals.

Debut at the Green Golf Convention in France The annual event of French greenkeepers, the Green Golf Convention, was held on 28 and 29 November at the Saint-Malo Golf Resort (Brittany). We shared a stand with our distributor, LOBGREEN, which allowed us to reinforce our brand image and our presence in the golf sector to position ourselves as an indispensable player in the industry and partner of lawn professionals in France. It was the perfect opportunity to present our new technical guide with all of the information needed for proper lawn care and the best varieties adapted to the needs of the French market such as LUMINARY, RIVIERA or RINOVO. The golf sector in France is important because it is a consolidated market. Although there is competition, new investments are expected this year and we anticipate increasing our presence even more thanks to the recognition of the Fitó brand, our range of products and above all our experience with warm weather varieties.

Onsite at the LeClub Golf conference in Biarritz LeClub Golf, an international network of golf courses encompassing some 400 courses in 18 countries, chose the province of Biarritz as the venue for its annual conference which is attended by some of the most influential professionals in the French golf market. Every year, the event draws some 140 representatives of golf courses and the sector’s leading suppliers. We participated with our French distributor, Celtic. On this occasion we took the opportunity to highlight our star varieties for the French market with the help of our distributor in the area, Celtic Turf: Luminary (agrostis stolonifera), Rinovo (lolium perenne) and Riviera (cynodon dactylon). Greenkeepers and golf course directors appreciate our range of seeds, the quality of our products and, in short, the advances being made by Semillas Fitó in the golf course sector in France.

Fitó News 20 Proximity

NEW YEAR, NEW CORN SEASON

The Field Crops Division started the year by presenting the latest developments at two leading trade shows in Spain: Agroexpo (Don Benito) and Agraria (Valladolid). The new year also marks the beginning of the new corn season. Forecasts for this year are more positive than last year, since this is the first time we have varieties adapted to all cycles and market segments. Some of the new varieties this year include Cugat YG for long cycles and Aventicum and Benares for short cycles.

At the end of January we attended the 32nd edition of Agroexpo, a trade fair in Don Benito (Spain) which we have been attending for several years. On this occasion, we participated by sharing a stand with our local distributor, Miguel Crespillo. Jorge Pérez, Fitó’s Sales Specialist in the area, explains that the event is very relevant to this region and an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with customers and meet new people interested in our products.

Fitó News 20 Proximity

The Agraria fair in Valladolid is the premiere agricultural event in Castilla y León which is attracting more and more visitors from other regions every year. In addition to greeting visitors to our stand, the sales team for the North zone gave a talk to discuss the research, development and innovation projects being carried out by Fitó with institutions in the area.

Fitó stand at the Agraria Fair in Valladolid.

Our main commitments to our customers revolve around proximity and the search for sustained profitability. Our objective as a company is to satisfy the needs of farmers and stockbreeders in the growing fields. To that end, at Semillas Fitó we have been working on several projects for the Castilla y León region in collaboration with other entities such as the governments of Castilla y León and Salamanca, INEA (School of Agricultural Engineering of the Jesuit University in Valladolid), Smart Rural and CIFP Santa Espina, among others. Some of these projects include the implementation of the Greenseeker tool to advise farmers on the needs of their crops or to study how the digestibility of our varieties influences milk production. These projects arise from a desire to innovate, research and incorporate new technologies and varieties in the field so that farmers and stockbreeders will be more profitable. As a way of giving back to the community, we also offered a talk at the Agraria fair which was attended by about 50 people including clients and INEA students, where we discussed these projects and achievements applied in the field.

EXPERIENCE

Fitó News 20 Experience

TURF GRASS CONVENTION The international sales team and the customer service team for turf grass met in Barcelona for the division’s annual convention.

Turf Grass team during a team-building activity

During the two-day convention, the team had the opportunity to take stock of the year and strengthen sales and customer service skills through communication and teamwork. Thanks to the workshop offered by the consulting firm, BeValue, the team had the chance to work on team synergies for the purposes of enhancing communications and attracting customers. By identifying their DISC personality style, the team was able to understand and define the positive aspects of their professional profiles and areas for improvement through role-playing. “It was very enriching to be able

We spoke with Josep Cirera, Director of the Turf Grass Division, about the importance of this commitment: How long have you been working at Semillas Fitó? I joined the company in 1992, 27 years ago. The Division currently has its own varieties and sales in 46 countries.

to work with my colleagues in a more relaxed atmosphere. You realize that teamwork is paramount, that we all need to share information in order to provide customers with better service to keep them satisfied,” says Paquita Martinez, Customer Service for Spain, France and Italy. At Semillas Fitó we firmly believe in teamwork and a climate of freedom and respect where everyone can share their goals and concerns.

What are your goals at these conventions? For me, conventions are for teambuilding, presenting results, learning about what each one of us does, talking about the future and also having a good time. What is the importance of this type of training/activities? I believe they are really important as they help to create synergies and enhance the value of the company’s Turf Grass Division as a whole. What do you value most about the members of your team? I value initiative, hard work every day and commitment to the company.

How do you communicate with your team? Regular meetings are the basis of our communications. What do you think is the most important thing about teamwork? The positive atmosphere. What conclusions do you draw from the work done at the convention? Obviously, there are still things that can be improved, but on the other hand we also have to recognize the things that are well done and that generate good results.

Fitó News 20 Experience

SMALL ACTIONS, BIG CHANGES We closed 2018 with more awareness of the impact of our activities and contributing proactively to the sustainability of the planet.

Our actions have a direct impact on the environment. At Semillas Fitó, we’re aware of this, which is why we’re committed to our community and respectful in our actions.

Our goal for the New Year is to actively contribute to the preservation of the planet with more sustainable gestures. To that end, at Christmas we distributed glass bottles to all Fitó locations in Spain. With this gesture we hope to significantly reduce the use of plastic bottles and cups at our locations as a way of contributing to the sustainability of the planet.

DID YOU KNOW THAT PLASTIC BOTTLES ARE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF PLASTIC WASTE AND THAT THEY TAKE ABOUT 450 YEARS TO BIODEGRADE? Glass, on the other hand, does not alter the chemical composition of the products it contains or release any type of particles. It also does not transmit flavour and preserves the freshness of the water much better. It is also 100% recyclable. By reusing and extending the useful life, we will be improving our ecological footprint. At Fitó we are convinced that small actions can lead to big changes.

1.000.000 bottles are purchased per minute

480.000 milions bottles were sold in 2016

or 20.000 per second

110.000 milions of them were made by Coca Cola

Less than 50% of bottles are recycled

Only 7% are converted into new bottles

Fitó News 20 Experience

HYDROPONICS COURSE We made a commitment to training with an international agricultural hydroponics course for our clients.

At Semillas Fitó, we are committed to long-term relationships with our clients. Hence our interest in developing tools that help us grow together. Along these lines, in February we offered a course on hydroponic agriculture to our customers in Uzbekistan and Eastern Europe. The one-week training course, which took place at our El Ejido location, was attended by customers from Uzbekistan and Hungary and our distributors AGROSTAR LUX and OROSOCO.

Gianluca di Lucia, Sales Specialist for southern Italy; Marko Vidakovic, Development Specialist for Eastern Europe; and Raúl Martínez, Director of Sales for Africa and Asia, with clients from Uzbekistan and Eastern Europe.

Also in attendance were our colleagues Gianluca di Lucia, Sales Specialist from Southern Italy and Marko Vidakovic, Development Technician for Eastern Europe. Both had the opportunity to supplement their knowledge in this area share their impressions with our clients.

During the week, attendees were able to see our facilities in Almeria for themselves and visit the new R&D centre opened just over a year ago. They also visited the Clisol facilities, where the manager, Lola Gomez, explained the evolution of agriculture in Almeria and showed them the soil and hydroponics crops. To complete the course instructed by Roel Brunyel, agricultural advisor and expert in hydroponic cultivation, participants visited a seedbed and a farm to observe an example, in situ, of what they had learned in the classroom. This event, which was very well received by our clients, strengthens our relationship of trust with clients and brings us closer to them.

INNOVATION

Fitó News 20 Innovation

PRESENTING AN UPDATED FITÓ HOBBY An updated Fitó Hobby brand was presented at the Flower & Garden Attraction show.

display that could be seen from the entrance. It was the perfect occasion to showcase our exhibitors and displays for customers and distributors and to present our updated corporate image.

Fruit Attraction, an internationally recognized event and one of the sector’s most important in Spain, took place from 23 - 25 October. This year, the organizers of the fair decided to dedicate a separate space to amateur gardening and ornamental plants called Flower & Garden Attraction. Seeing this as a new opportunity to introduce ourselves and to meet many of our customers, we decided that the Fitó Hobby division should participate with an 18 m2 stand and a large 6 m frontal

Our logotype, as the symbol that represents the essence of what we do and who we are, was a critical piece in the update of the Fitó Hobby Division. It was an exercise that required the effort of the whole team to condense our entire corporate philosophy into a synthesized graphic design. What we wanted to transmit through the new logo was our desire to continue evolving and stay close to the customers who hold us in high regard while at the same time reinforcing our essence as producers of quality seeds for all our customers.

Fitó News 20 Innovation

We hope that this new image of the division will open new doors that will allow us to continue growing. To that end, we’ve also launched the new website, www.fitohobby.com, that we presented at the Madrid fair. The website has a modern and professional feel. The information has been rearranged into more practical and easy-to-read sections, so that it really is a useful reference tool.

Welcome Spring

At Semillas Fitó, we believe in innovation and in reinventing ourselves day by day to adapt to new trends and market needs, staying in touch with those who make it all possible. We encourage you to visit our new website and see for yourselves the new image of the Fitó Hobby Division that was such a success at the Flower & Garden Attraction. First editions are always uncharted territory but despite this, the results of the Fitó Hobby stand were very positive: not only were we able to present several new products and greet many of our customers, but new contacts were also established with potential customers in both the domestic and export markets. In light of such positive results, we hope to participate next year as well!

Fitรณ News 20 Innovation

QUALITY, COLOUR AND SHINE THAT CONVEYS FRESHNESS

LEONARDO FIELD DAY Last January we introduced Leonardo, the new zucchini that offers high quality fruit, colour and freshness for export.

In January, we showcased Leonardo at Campo de Cartagena. This zucchini variety is very easy to handle, with a complete package of resistances, highly productive in the autumn and winter months with compact, uniform fruit, dark green in colour with a shine that transmits freshness, ideal for the export market. Nearly 350 farmers, technicians and salespeople from the Cartagena cooperatives attended the field day, where they learned about the enormous potential of Leonardo, a variety intended especially for export. The new Leonardo zucchini is a variety that is sown from October to December and harvested from late November to mid-spring. It is a zucchini that is very easy to handle in greenhouses. The plant is of medium-tall height, with an erect bearing, open, and with short internodes. The leaves are small which facilitates aeration and pollination. A plant with such an open bearing makes for a healthier crop and minimizes problems with fungal diseases such as oidium or botrytis. It is a very productive variety whose resistance to oidium and CMV favours both the quality of the fruit and the productivity of the plant throughout its cycle, especially in the autumn and winter months. As for the fruit, Leonardo is a variety that is well-liked and promises to become a benchmark in the export market. It has everything that producers look for and distributors demand: straight, elongated, without striations and dark green in colour. It has a surprising shine which gives it a fresh and just harvested look,

something that is very appealing to buyers. The fruit is very uniform in size and dense inside, which increases the weight and offers excellent post-harvest handling. In addition, the apical flower is easily detached and has a small pistilar closing. Workshop attendees were able to see that this variety is very easy to handle and perfectly adapted to the characteristics of growing fields in Cartagena. Given the quality of the fruit that is produced throughout the cycle, the outlook for this variety for the coming zucchini season is certainly very good. This variety has also been very well received by farmers in central and southern Italy, where several promotional event have already been held.

Fitó News 20 Innovation

CAOBA: THE NEW SMARTQ RANGE The Caoba (HOL 160306) field day was held on 12 and 13 February in the province of Almería. Caoba is a new variety of the Dutch cucumber that completes the SmartQ range. The farmers who attended the field day had the opportunity to see the new variety close up on a farm located on Balerma beach. The more than 300 attendees were impressed by the cultivation and the magnificent performance of Caoba, which ensures high production rates and excellent fruit quality.

Showing the Caoba variety in a greenhouse in Balerma Beach (Almería).

The owner of the greenhouse where the event took place, Serafín García, was one of the first to commit to our variety based on its good performance and profitability, planting 9,000 m2 of Caoba this season. García explained to us that “Caoba is a shorter cucumber, with the size and shape that the market demands, but clearly of a higher quality and higher production rates than the one we’ve planted on another 2,000 metres as a control”.

Until now, our portfolio included two varieties of Dutch cucumber with SmartQ genetics: Tejo and Mitre. Tejo is planted from January 15 through September for spring crops. Mitre is a variety that is planted after 15 February and is now joined by Caoba for transplanting in early October.

In addition, Caoba is a Dutch cucumber that falls within the SmartQ concept. This range of cucumbers was launched a year ago and has been very well received in the sector thanks to the genetic improvements to the plants, with greater natural resistance to disease, short internodes, smaller and darker leaves, horizontal orientation of leaves, smaller flowers, and shorter fruits of higher quality. Fitó will continue working to expand the SmartQ range and offer varieties that cover the different sowing dates.

Fitรณ News 20 Innovation

CHANGE FOR

GROWING

REORGANIZATION OF BREEDING STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS

The new development and improvement strategy for the Vegetable Seeds Division aims to increase the level of crop specialization without losing sight of the big picture. The new structure is divided into 4 Species Units (Tomato; Pepper and Eggplant; Cucumber and Zucchini; and Melon and Watermelon) composed of multidisciplinary teams, instead of departments (Biotechnology, Breeding and Development) as had been the case until now. The main areas involved are R&D and Sales and Development.

The rollout of the new organization began in January 2019 and is expected to be 100% complete by the end of 2020. Some positions were filled through internal promotions and others externally, but all are occupied by people with the skills and experience to face this new challenge. Semillas Fitรณ is committed to specialization so that the teams in charge of creating the species are in the best position to obtain high quality products as quickly and efficiently as possible. We appreciate the flexibility and commitment of all our teams.

Fitรณ News 20 Innovation

Previous Organization

BIOTECH

2019 VEGETABLES ORGANIZATION

BREEDING

DEVELOPMENT

Global Crop Coordinator (Development)

The new organization creates a management level with a global vision of the species from both an improvement and development perspective. Prior to this, management was more localized, based on breeding stations and area manager. At the same time, the operational function of the R&D farms is relieved of the responsibility for improvements and the stock management function is no longer part of the development activity.

Crop Breeding Lead (Breeding)

The position of Crop Breeding Lead has been created, which is the position that oversees the R&D of a particular species at the world level. Breeder Coordinator positions have also been created by regions or types. They replace the former Breeding Station Managers, who led a local team of multi-species breeders In the development area we have created the Global Crop Coordinator position, which is the person who leads the development activities of a species worldwide. The Global Operational Manager is a new position in charge of managing farming operations. At the same time, a new Seed Supply Planner position has been created in the Production Area to manage productions, stocks and records. Finally, a new Global Crop Researcher position has been created. Genomics researchers are specialized by species in order to deepen the scientific knowledge of these species.

Global Crop Researcher (Biotech)

Fitó News 20 Innovation

This new structure involved working in multidisciplinary teams, creating more synergies and greater commitment to the species in question. There is a much greater emphasis on teamwork and communications, both horizontal and vertical.

MEETING

OBJETIVE

MEMBERS

FREQUENCY

CROP TEAM MEETING

Global species strategy

Development, Marketing & Sales, Seed Supply

Every 2-3 years

BREEDING FOCUS

Product needs by species

Breeding, Development

Every year, on demand

STRATEGY BREEDING MEETING

How it’s done

Biotech, Breeding

One a year per species

PRODUCT LAUNCH MEETING

Product sales strategy

Development, Marketing & Sales, Seed Supply

As needed

COORDINATION MEETING

Stock management

Development, Marketing & Sales, Seed Supply

Every two months

We spoke with Laia Fitó, R&D Director, to get her impressions about the new organization: What was it like for the management team to make this decision? The decision-making process was very long. It’s been more than three years since discussions began on the weaknesses of the previous organization. Several possible scenarios were debated, both internally and externally

with consultants. We had to consider the positive aspects of the old organization so they wouldn’t get lost in the new one, correct the weaknesses, consider our corporate values and, above all, talk to many people from our teams to get their opinions on the key aspects for improvement. This new organization is not the idea of one person but the sum of many different people’s ideas.

What do you hope to achieve with these changes? We expect to have a powerful, well-organized and committed team capable of assuming the new challenges in the sector in terms of innovation, improvement, development, logistics, production and sales, in order to reach a turnover of EUR 100 million in the medium term.

How has it been received by staff? The reception has been positive and the teams feel involved with the project. Change is always difficult and there will undoubtedly be difficult moments, but little by little we will get used to the new organization.

THE NEW ORGANIZATION MEANS

Greater focus

Higher commitment

More synergies

FITÃ&#x201C; FAMILY

Fitó News 20 Fitó Family

NEW HIRES Ángela Sánchez

Process Quality Technician (GSPP)

Location: Barcelona, Spain. Hobbies: Rock concerts, reading and walks in the country or on the beach.

Oscar Vidiella

Turf Grass Sales Specialist, Northern Spain and Portugal

Location: Barcelona, Spain. Hobbies: Spending time with family, travel and sports (indoor football and running).

José Torres Cabanillas Vegetable Seeds Sales Specialist, Almería

David Estefanía

Agrobusiness Sales Specialist, Northern Spain

Location: Almería, Spain. Hobbies: Anything related to the environment. Especially predator sport fishing.

Location: Spain. Hobbies: Sports and nature.

José Luis Couselo Bandín Cell Biology Researcher (Biotech)

Location: Cabrera de Mar, Spain. Hobbies: Cinema, travel, recreational diving.

Mohammed Safi

Vegetable Seeds Sales Specialist, Morocco

Location: Morocco. Hobbies: Photography and video.

Mohamed Hamed Taha Sales and Development

Location: Egypt.

Fitรณ News 20 Fitรณ Family

Newborns

PAU

LIA

JIMENA

He is the second child of Jordi Quilis, Applied Biotechnology in Cabrera de Mar. Pau has not lost his smile and has proved to be a born fighter and a champion in the face of adversity!

Lia is a sister to Lluc and the daughter of Jordi Morales, Head of Maintenance at Maresme, and Jordina Turon, a former Fitรณ Barcelona employee.

Jimena is the second daughter of Juan Carlos Zazueta, Corporate Partner, Fitรณ Mexico.

11/10/2018

09/11/2018

FITOKU

01/2019

WORD SEARCH Find 6 new corn varieties

O S

S E R P S E N C

K M A N U E L D E R I

A D R M E U A R

L R K U O V O L O S O

T M P S O F

B N E H O A T A S G M A B A G B S U D R A O ร R L

D P E H

F B E N A R E S

T E R N A L

E H S

Fitó News 20 Fitó Family

DID YOU KNOW... …Hobby will be participating in the largest creative festival in Southern Europe?

Hobby, the company’s smallest division, is targeting an increasingly wide audience. DIY (Do It Yourself), veganism and ecologism trends, among others, are gaining prominence and favouring the seed sector among amateur and semi-professional farmers. The Division is currently undergoing in-depth change in order to adapt to the market and satisfy its needs. In May, the company will present innovations at the 6th edition of the Handmade Festival, a Do It Yourself event showcasing more than 350 activities to explore and learn about: thread, paper, wood and gardening, with vendor spaces, concerts and food trucks on site. BAUHAUS, a Fitó customer for more than 10 years, is the main sponsor of the HMF and a leader in DIY and gardening projects. This year it has invited its most outstanding suppliers to participate jointly in its space, forming a village of the best brands in the sector. The Hobby Division will be represented in this space with a 21m2 rustic wooden stand where the latest innovations of the Eurogarden brand will be presented. It will also be used to host live workshops with gardening influencers, which will help us to demonstrate the quality of our seeds for those interested in the world of urban farming. With more than 25,000 visitors, the fair is an ideal platform to make our brand known and gain visibility with end consumers to continue growing, attract a dynamic public and position ourselves as a leading brand of seeds.

We invite all Fitó staff to visit us there!

Fitó News 20 ¿Sabías que...

Trends in the sector

DIY (Do It Yourself)

3rd most searched

word in Spain in relation to alternative economy Barter Crowdfunding

DIY 3D Printer Car Sharing P2P Flat Sharing Sustainable Development Coworking Fair Trade 0

5625

11250

16875

22500

The most popular alternative economy searches

Self-study Perseverance Creativity

Troubleshooting

URBAN GARDENS Year 2017

Year 2000

1.000

15.000

The majority of the population lives in urban settings where there is no contact with natural or rural environments, so more and more people feel the need to introduce a little “green” into their lives.

Fitó News 20 Did you know...?

Km 0 Food The radius of origin of the raw material is not more than 100 km.

• Locally produced • More flavour • Farming tradition • Democratization of consumer chains

IN 2017: 14% increase

in organic food consumption

77% of consumers prefer local products

Did you know that according to the FAO (the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization) urban gardens can be much more productive and ecological than traditional agriculture?

You can produce 20 kg of food per year in a single square meter!

Superfoods They are healthy, nutritionally dense foods that improve performance, increase vitality and make you feel rejuvenated. Full of antioxidants, they have broad therapeutic potential as well as anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Chia seeds, blueberries, Goji berries and ancient grains such as quinoa - among many others - are increasingly popular super foods. • Spaniards buy 4% more super food, twice as much as consumer products. • 27% of consumers are willing to include more super foods in their diet.