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7 milestones in lettuce history

Our future is rooted in 100 years of lettuce innovation

Lettuce has played a major part in the 100 years of Rijk Zwaan's existence. Resistances to Bremia and lettuce aphids, lettuce seed pellets, Salanova®, oak leaf lettuce and hydroponics are just a few of the milestones in the history of lettuce.

In this series of seven stories, we look back on this history with some of Rijk Zwaan's key players. They explain how, together with customers, vegetable breeding has contributed to ensuring that consumers worldwide can enjoy this healthy, colourful and sustainably grown leafy crop every day. They also show us that our future is rooted in 100 years of lettuce innovation.

The early years

1950 | Registration of Rijk Zwaan's first self-selected lettuce variety

"With Regina RZ, Rijk Zwaan laid the basis for year-round lettuce cultivation." - Henk van Lenteren

Engaging locally by growing internationally

1964 | Opening of our Welver office in Germany

Jos van der Knaap: "Because Rijk Zwaan has a base here, we can really understand local growers' questions."

Quality and efficiency

1970 | Lettuce pellets paved the way for mechanisation

Henk van Lenteren: "The pellet not only enabled customers to save on labour, but also accelerated quality-related improvements, like seed priming”

Diversification

1987 | Introduction of Raiza RZ, an improved oakleaf lettuce

“Red and green oak leaf lettuce offered benefits to all value chain partners.” - Frank Roelofs

Resistance breeding

1997 | Introduction of Nasonovia resistance

“Breeding resistances to compete in nature’s rat race.” - Johan Schut, Breeding Manager Lettuce at Rijk Zwaan

The chain

2006 | Salanova’s ‘one cut, ready’ concept provided a boost for bagged lettuce

"We intend to keep generating a ‘wow effect’ for our customers."- Bauke van Lenteren, Specialist Marketing, Convenience & Leaf at Rijk Zwaan.

At the forefront of cultivation technology

2020 | Opening of our Trial Centre Hydroponics in Dinteloord

“Genetics and technology will continue to go hand in hand to meet the cultivation challenges of the future.” - Wim Grootscholten, Crop Manager Lettuce at Rijk Zwaan.