News

The PMA Fresh Summit is an annual highlight for the entire fresh supply chain in the US. The 2020 edition is being held from 13-15 October – in a virtual format this year, but just as exciting and innovative as ever. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan will be focusing on the overarching theme of ‘Inspiring Ingredients for Home Cooking’.

The coronavirus crisis has caused some permanent shifts in the sales channels for fruit and vegetables. Fresh produce growers and processing companies worldwide are looking for ways to adapt to these changes. They are also concerned about a looming recession. Those are the key findings from new research conducted by vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan based in De Lier, the Netherlands, among its chain partners and specialists.

The role of the vegetable industry in the world food supply is now more important than ever, as is the value of personal interaction. In order to support clients worldwide, the Rijk Zwaan Global Open Field e-vent is being organised in Fijnaart. This e-vent promises to be a unique mix of personal onsite and digital meetings and to ensure the personal contact Rijk Zwaan is known for, tailor made programs will be offered to clients.

In 2017 Rijk Zwaan introduced the first one-bite cucumber snack variety Quatrino RZ. Time to look back, and forward, with Rijk Zwaan and Mucci Farms, one of the first companies to adopt this little thumb size cucumber.

Earlier this month, Rijk Zwaan’s yellow Sweet Palermo® pointed pepper received the highest possible rating of three stars in the International Taste Institute’s Superior Taste Award 2020, and the red Sweet Palermo was awarded a very commendable two-star rating. Sweet Palermo is the first sweet pointed pepper to receive this award, which revolves around flavour.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, vegetable growers and processing companies in countries such as the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany are looking to accelerate their transition to mechanical harvesting. Although the biggest focus is on leafy vegetables, growers of other crops are also interested in increasing the level of automation, according to interviews conducted by vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan among its European chain partners.

Salanova® Teenleaf is an innovative salad concept. In terms of size, this ‘teenager’ is halfway between a babyleaf and a fully mature head of lettuce and it combines the best of both worlds. These lettuce varieties are already successfully grown on high density in soil, harvested mechanically and used in all kinds of fresh-cut salad blends in the USA and Australia. At Fruit Logistica 2020, vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is introducing a choice of new Teenleaf varieties for high density hydroponic production.

There is good news for all who love salad and like to eat healthy. At the Fruit Logistica 5-7 February, vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan presents its Cabbisi™ concept that has been launched last year. Cabbisi™, the mini salad cabbage, is the healthy innovation in the salad category and has many potential to become a consumer’s favourite!

At this year’s Fruit Logistica (5-7 February 2020), vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is presenting its new snack brand: SN!BS. “With the launch of SN!BS, we aim to inspire retailers and traders worldwide to drive further growth of the snack category and help consumers make healthy choices,” comments Jan Doldersum, Manager Chain & Retail. The launch of SN!BS is a good fit with ‘Stronger together’, which is Rijk Zwaan’s theme for Fruit Logistica 2020.

Good news for salad processors and convenience food suppliers: all popular salads are now possible to mix thanks to a broad assortment of Knox™ lettuce varieties. The vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is introducing a large number of new lettuce varieties with this innovative trait. KnoxTM reduces pink discoloration, thereby extending the shelf life of lettuce mixes and preventing spoilage. The new varieties will be on display during two major events in February: the Fruit Logistica on 5-7 February in Berlin and the Rijk Zwaan International Open Field Days on 10-14 February in Murcia, Spain.