"Something new on the plate"

Thanks to the breeders’ creativity, Rijk Zwaan introduced Raïsa RZ – a tasty red oak leaf lettuce that had a long shelf life and was strong against bolting – in 1987. It received an enthusiastic reception from chefs in France, as it enabled them to surprise diners with something new on their plates. Today, oak leaf lettuce is regularly included in bagged salad mixes. It is a prime example of diversification within this leafy crop. “A variety will succeed if it benefits all partners in the value chain,” says Frank Roelofs, who has been director of Rijk Zwaan’s French subsidiary for many years.

For the Mediterranean climate

As a 12-year-old boy growing up in Arnhem, Frank (aged 70) dreamed of exploring the world. Now retired and living on a farm in Avignon, he reflects on the expansion and diversification he witnessed during his 45 years of working at Rijk Zwaan. He began as a sales representative in Germany, and subsequently started up the commercial operations in Scandinavia. He then did the same in France for the whole of southern Europe, where he built relationships with growers and chain partners.

“I lobbied hard for a selection field in the French Provence, and that materialised in the 1990s. Aramon is affected by strong Mistral winds, so only the strongest, non-bolting varieties survived. As a result, those varieties were also suitable for other Mediterranean climates. This meant that growers in France, Spain, Italy, Turkey and later America, Asia and Africa could opt for lettuce from Rijk Zwaan.”

Opportunities for different lettuce types

Due to internationalisation, the breeding programme increasingly focused on other lettuce types, besides the ones that were typical in northwestern Europe. Whereas butterhead lettuce and iceberg lettuce were traditionally the most commonly grown lettuce types in the Netherlands and Germany, consumers in southern Europe also ate cos lettuce. In Italy, Batavia lettuce and Lollo Bionda were popular as well.

“Moreover, French people eat lettuce almost every day,” Frank explains. “A salad is the first course in French cuisine. Restaurants are very important too, because they want to surprise their customers. So the expansion into southern Europe created opportunities for new and different types of lettuce.”

Experimentation leads to better oak leaf lettuce

Experimenting with new lettuce types was a nice challenge for Rijk Zwaan’s lettuce breeders, recalls Frank: “Their boldness and creativity really advanced the lettuce market. In the late 1980s, they ran trials of tasty green and red oak leaf lettuces that had a long shelf life and were less susceptible to bolting. Up until then, oak leaf lettuce hadn’t really been a success. In my own garden, I saw for myself how easy the varieties were to grow. The introduction of the red oak leaf lettuce Raïsa RZ and the green variety Kriset RZ in 1989 was a prime example of effective collaboration between different departments within our company. The varieties immediately became a success.”

Benefits for every link in the value chain

According to Frank, there is a simple explanation for that success: “This significantly improved oak leaf lettuce benefited every partner in the value chain. Growers could offer a unique product to restaurants and supermarket chains. Moreover, the varieties were vigorous, easy to grow and had the right mildew resistances. For the retail trade, it was a lettuce with a better shelf life and lots of leaves. And restaurants could use the lettuce to add volume and colour to plates in attractive mixed salads. Moreover, oak leaf lettuce produced hardly any waste, plus it was tasty. All value chain partners liked it.”

Collaboration drives assortment growth

Thanks to the popularity of Raïsa and Kriset, oak leaf lettuce was given its own breeding programme at Rijk Zwaan. Varieties were developed for all seasons, for tunnel cultivation, for more intense colour and with stronger resistance to bolting. The Bremia resistances were kept up to date too.

“You have to get all the details right. The collaboration between our breeders, representatives, customers and the rest of the company – right down to seed shipping – was essential in this. As a result, oak leaf lettuce evolved into a distinct market segment, not only in France, but all over Europe and also in the USA. Today, oak leaf lettuce is included in bagged lettuce mixes in supermarkets. Its colour, shape and texture make it a unique product.”

Further diversification in lettuce

Rijk Zwaan continued down the diversification path in the years that followed, according to Frank. Lollo Rossa was further developed, babyleaf gained a foothold, and the ‘one-cut, ready’ Salanova® revolutionised the market. Additionally Salatrio, the living ‘bouquet’ of three different varieties, conquered markets worldwide. Crunchy Lettuce, which combines the best of cos lettuce and iceberg lettuce, also made its debut, as did Crystal: an open iceberg lettuce with a sweet, crunchy bite. Many of these lettuce types have the Knox trait, which ensures less pinking along the cut edges.

“Our breeders’ creativity has driven diversification within lettuce. To have a chance of succeeding, a new lettuce type must offer benefits to our partners. That’s why good collaboration with customers, combined with knowledge of markets worldwide, is so important,” states Frank.

Lettuce with a peppery taste

Needless to say, Rijk Zwaan continues to innovate in lettuce. Looking to the future, Frank believes there are opportunities for lettuce with an even better shelf life and more intense flavour. “I can see a market for a lettuce with a peppery taste like rocket. I’m sure breeders will keep coming up with creative ideas.”

For Frank himself, who is fully integrated into his second homeland of France, salad is on the menu every day. “Oak leaf lettuce and Batavia lettuce are my favourites, but variation is most important to me. I eat my salads with a dressing of olive oil, purple garlic, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and mustard, which I make in advance for the whole week. Lettuce is healthy; it’s good for digestion and hydration in your body. I would recommend eating salad more often to everyone. Bon appétit!”