"We chose Gusto without an initial trial period"

The Gusto tomato stands out among specialty items because of its larger size and because, "It is a beefsteak tomato with a high brix value and a fresh flavor that you don't expect from a tomato this size," says Paul Stoffels. Paul has big plans for Gusto, "It is our goal to make Gusto a European brand. We have retailers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia who are all enthusiastic about the product. We have a great relationship with a number of trading companies that would love to work on the Gusto project. We are currently working on entering the British market and we aim to strengthen our position in Scandinavia."

Market is saturated with small specialties

Paul and Perta started cultivating Gusto tomatoes in 2015, "Hazera introduced us to the variety in the summer of 2014. We were already looking for a large tomato with a strong, aromatic taste. The market is now saturated with small, tasty specialty tomatoes. There are more and more cherry tomatoes, some sweeter than others. We thought it was high time for something else. The snack tomatoes take some of the taste away from the kitchen. With Gusto we are trying to bring the taste back into the kitchen. Not too sweet, but something with which you can prepare delicious dishes that can give you that vacation feeling everyday."

"We just went for it"

Paul, "We were blown away by the taste of this tomato. After our initial experience with this tomato in Hazera's demo-greenhouse we immediately decided we want to do something with this tomato. We just went for it, without even having a trial period first. It turned out to not be an easy variety to grow. We have therefore paid the price over the last year. Taste and high production seldom go hand in hand." Paul says that getting customers was easier, "The market was ready for the new tomato. Various retailers both domestically and abroad were jumping for this initially unsure variety. In 2015 the Gusto tomato was wrapped in our packaging and in co-branding in the stores."

Unique

In order to approach the market in an exclusive way, Stoffels and Hazera are entering into a partnership together, "As far as we know there is no other tomato on the market that has the same flavor as the Gusto. We hope to maintain this edge a little longer." Gusto has a dark red color, a lightly ribbed form with a multi-locular structure and a green stem and green juice, "This 'juice' helps to give the Gusto its rare, aromatic flavor, and it makes the tomato look fantastic, both on the outside and on the inside. Everyone acknowledges the sublime taste and it leads the consumer to repeatedly purchase this product." We get a lot of positive reactions from consumers. An example comes from Christine Mässer in Burcht, Belgium, who wrote the following on the Gusto website, "I bought the Gusto at the Carrefour in Burcht. It was the best tomato that I have ever eaten in Belgium. It was quite different from the watery tomatoes that saturate the market. Congratulations."

Available year round

In 2015 they had 10 acres on which they grew Gusto tomatoes, this year that has doubled, "We also have them growing in greenhouses now as well. Because of the greenhouses and our cooperation with contract growers, the Gusto tomato is available year round." The Gusto tomato is available in various packages, "There is a Gusto package with four tomatoes and six tomatoes. In addition, you can also get the Gusto tomatoes in a 2.5 kilo box, and we have two packages with three pieces each, tailored to the retail sector. The Gusto tomato also comes in other packages under the name Gourmato (a Stoffels brand name)."

For more information:
BVBA Stoffels
Kleine Gammel 61
2310 Rijkevorsel
T +32(0)3 314 24 48+32(0)3 314 24 48
F +32(0)3 314 17 09
info@stoffels-tomaten.be
www.gusto-tomato.info