Martijn Eggink, Managing Director of Rijk Zwaan, symbolically drove the first stake in the ground on 11 July. This marked the official start of construction work for the Trial Centre Open Field. The new facility in Heijningen, in the West-Brabant region of the Netherlands, will be home to the open-field team and the new demo location for Rijk Zwaan’s open-field vegetables.

When barbecue season arrives in the summer, meat is the first thing on most consumers’ minds. But according to Martijn Korving, chef at sustainable event venue De Vuurplaats in De Bilt, the Netherlands, vegetables also deserve a starring role. During his inspiration session on 17 June, approximately 20 organic growers and retailers experienced for themselves just how tasty barbecued leeks, pointed cabbage and peppers can be.

Three products summitted fruit and vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan to the International Taste Quality Institute (ITQI) this year. All three have been awarded the maximum 3-star Superior Taste Award!  

We offer organic lettuce growers more peace of mind with the new Rijk Zwaan lettuce varieties that stand out for their resistances to Bremia and Fusarium. Crop Coordinator Lettuce Jose Enrique Colomina shares four of his favourite varieties, which have already been trialed successfully in Spain, Italy and France. These and all our other organic lettuce varieties are described in more detail in a specially designed leaflet for the organic market.

On 1 July, the European working group of the International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB-EU) did not denominate a new race of downy mildew in lettuce. 

Across the globe, most people consistently eat too few vegetables. That’s why Veggies First has been launched: an international movement dedicated to increasing vegetable consumption.

The start of lettuce production in a new high-tech greenhouse marked a major milestone for Panvita, one of Slovenia’s leading sustainable food producers. “We are very satisfied with Rijk Zwaan’s support, both during the construction phase and later during production,” say David Medvar and Simona Petek Čerpnjak from Panvita.

Organic growers can depend on Rijk Zwaan’s latest lettuce varieties that have a comprehensive package of Bremia resistances and are robust in stressful conditions. All the newcomers, along with the rest of the range for the organic market, are presented in a new leaflet. Client Manager David Pape highlights some of the most exciting new varieties for him and his customers in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

At Rijk Zwaan, we believe that real growth starts with care and collaboration. It’s through attention and partnership that we build the strong connections that drive sustainable growth — between growers, horticultural investors, retailers, and the unique solutions that emerge from our fruit and vegetable seeds.