Internal Red tomatoes reward quality
The Internal Red trait is currently being bred into the wider Rijk Zwaan tomato range. “For Rijk Zwaan, taste is a top priority and needless to say this applies to the Internal Red varieties too.”, says Rijk Zwaan’s marketing specialist Johan Vis. “However, the good flavour of the fine and medium tomatoes currently on the market is often not clearly apparent. Internal Red tomatoes are set to change that.”
Benefits throughout the chain
The distinctness compared with a standard tomato provides benefits throughout the chain. “Internal Red makes it possible to reap the rewards of quality. For example, branding activities can create a premium position and retailers can even raise the profile of an entire category.”
Rijk Zwaan’s breeders are working to develop a wide assortment of Internal Red tomatoes which of course will also offer a high yield and good growth characteristics. The first commercial varieties are being trialled externally for the first time by selected growers this season. They are clearly recognisable by the Internal Red symbol.
Confirmed by consumer research
The unique characteristics of Internal Red have been confirmed by Rijk Zwaan’s consumer research: more than 60% of respondents agreed that the inside sets this tomato apart from the rest. One common response was that the fruits have a classic appearance: ‘Precisely as a tomato should look.’
For more information about Internal Red, contact Johan Vis: j.vis@rijkzwaan.nl Internal Red will also be one of the new Rijk Zwaan products during the Fruit Logistica, from 4 – 6 february in Berlin.