Rijk Zwaan in direct contact with convenience sector
Press release - January 15, 2009
Dutch vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is making a real impact with its special convenience line. Director Anton van Doornmalen envisages big prospects for this segment and is one of the speakers at this year’s Freshconex congress.
Special attention
The market situation has changed dramatically for Rijk Zwaan in recent years. The company goes increasingly for direct contact or has direct contact with the various links in the chain. Specific wishes from processors are just one of the spearheads for its breeding activities. The convenience market is so different from the fresh cut market that Rijk Zwaan gives specific attention to this segment with a separate product line with, among other things, a special convenience catalogue and website.
This extra attention for the fresh cut market is possible by always being up-to-date with market demands. This enables Rijk Zwaan to develop varieties with the specific traits the convenience sector requires. In the past few years this has led to, among other things, successful market introductions of ‘Caribbean’ melons and SalanovaŽ, the innovative lettuce which received the Fruit Logistica Award in 2006. These products offer processors high efficiency and retain their excellent presentation and flavour after processing. These varieties also meet the crop-specific demands applicable to all Rijk Zwaan varieties.
Collaboration
One condition for new, successful convenience concepts is the intensive exchange of information within the chain and is the reason why Anton van Doornmalen will point out the great importance of collaboration between growers, processors and Rijk Zwaan in his presentation at the Freshconex congress. He will also talk about the challenges Rijk Zwaan faces in its breeding work specifically aimed at creating convenience varieties and give his verdict on the future of the fresh cut segment.
Rijk Zwaan has its own stand again at the Fruit Logistica trade fair this year. On stand D15 in hall 1.2 some of the subjects that will be given a lot of attention are the SalanovaŽ and Caribbean convenience concepts.
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