De Lier, The Netherlands
February 5, 2009
With a lively presentation about
the opportunities vegetable breeding offers,
Rijk Zwaan director Anton
van Doornmalen sent a clear message to the convenience sector.
Last Tuesday he was one of the speakers during the
Freshconex congress in
Berlin.
Van Doornmalen opened his demonstration by showing his audience
a bag containing 1 kilo tomato seed. “How much money do you
think this bag of seed represents to Rijk Zwaan?” The fact that
it was a sum of about € 75,000 was a real eye-opener for those
present; especially when it transpired that the vegetables grown
from these seeds represent a value of no less than € 9 million
for retailers. “It would be good to remember,” he said, “that
characteristics like colour, flavour, shelf life, resistance and
production are all contained in these seeds. You could really
call it the software of the vegetable chain.”
Exchanging information
 Having
made it clear to everyone how important good quality seed is,
Van Doornmalen then concretely discussed the advantages Rijk
Zwaan has to offer the convenience sector. One of the most
well-known successes is convenience lettuce Salanova® (photo),
which won the Innovation Award in 2006. Its convenience was
demonstrated by the director there and then at the congress.
“This lettuce separates into loose leaves with just one cut,
which makes it an ideal product for processors. It has a high
efficiency percentage and retains an excellent presentation and
flavour after processing. Salanova® is also becoming a huge
international success through information exchanges between Rijk
Zwaan, growers and the processing industry. That information
offers Rijk Zwaan the possibility to develop the varieties you
are asking for.”
New successes
Van Doornmalen ended his speech with a subtle reference to new
product developments within Rijk Zwaan. Especially in the area
of lettuce, a crop with which the company is traditionally the
front runner, the plant breeding company is once again in the
process of taking important new steps. A video showed a new
growing application with high plant densities and mechanical
harvesting. Salanova® is suitable for this, as is the new
‘open-heart cos’ type. Both offer enormous new possibilities for
the convenience market. The research departments of Rijk Zwaan
are also making great strides at the moment with developing
varieties which do not turn brown after processing. “This is
lifting just the tip of the veil. By seeking even more
collaboration and exchanging knowledge there is still a whole
world to be conquered in the convenience segment.”
Fruit Logistica
The Freshconex congress took place one day before the opening of
the Fruit Logistica trade fair, where Rijk Zwaan is also present
with its own stand. On stand D15, hall 1.2, some of the subjects
being given a lot of attention are convenience concepts
Salanova® and Caribbean. Caribbean stands for a highly
successful melon concept of Rijk Zwaan. These melons are
perfectly suited to processing and are yet another example of
worldwide, successful collaboration. |
|
