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With organic production accounting for 25% of all farming in Austria, the country currently leads the way in Europe. Biohof Achleitner, based in the Austrian town of Eferding, is one example of a family business that has been successfully supplying consumers with organic fruits and vegetables for more than 30 years. The keys ingredients in its success? A fair and sustainable approach to growing with minimal waste, close relationships with customers, employees and other organic growers, and home deliveries.

Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan generated a total net turnover of €593 million in its 2022/2023 financial year.

‘Choose organic, choose taste’. A shelf-edge label displaying this text next to organic Sweet Palermo pointed peppers resulted in 25% more purchases in Dutch supermarkets. This is one of the findings from a 2023 nudging study. “Extra focus works,” concludes retail expert Bart Fischer.

The rich biodiversity is immediately noticeable when visiting Broadward Hall Farm. Love My Salad – Rijk Zwaan’s consumer platform – and Heleen Bos, Rijk Zwaan Specialist Marketing Organics spoke to this British organic vegetable company. It is their mission to help organic growers throughout Europe to share their inspiring stories. In this way consumers experience how organic cultivation differs from conventional cultivation.

Consumers are keen to know more about organic cultivation and how it differs from conventional cultivation. To answer this need, Love My Salad – Rijk Zwaan’s consumer platform – is helping organic growers throughout Europe to share their stories in a series of company profiles. The first profile is about Biosabor, an impressive organic farm in the Andalusian province of Almeria, Spain. Heleen Bos, Rijk Zwaan Specialist Marketing Organics, supervised the sessions: “It’s wonderful to experience the organic growers’ passion, and to help them share that passion with consumers.”

Rijk Zwaan is pleased to invite industry professionals from around the world to its Global Melon & Watermelon event in CED La Palma, with this year’s theme: ‘Freshly Forward’. During this event, visitors can expect on-site field visits to see the company’s newest innovations and strong foundation concepts. In addition, visitors can gain valuable insights on future challenges and technology for melon and watermelon. The event will be held from 4-6 July in Cartagena and will be highlighting Rijk Zwaan’s new watermelon concept: Candyball.

On 1 July, the European committee of the International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB-EU) published three widely occurring new variants of downy mildew in lettuce: Bl:38EU, Bl:39EU and Bl:40EU. A considerable number of Rijk Zwaan’s current lettuce varieties are resistant to these three new races.

The World Vegetable Center is striving to tackle poverty and malnutrition in developing countries. How? By boosting the production and consumption of nutritious vegetables in those countries. Arun Joshi, Managing Director of Rijk Zwaan India, explains why Rijk Zwaan is a partner within this project.

The Kusimayo Foundation offers help to the local population in some of Peru’s poorest areas, such as by building heated accommodation and setting up small-scale greenhouses. It also fosters knowledge sharing about healthy eating and hygiene. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan has been supporting Kusimayo since 2017.