Canada: Increased demand for new brown and heirloom tomato products

A range of new greenhouse tomato products has been launched by Canadian-based company Westmoreland-TopLine Farms in 2015. The packs were showcased at the PMA Fresh Summit last month and launched during the 2015 Canadian growing season. 

Two of the new products that stand out are brown and heirloom tomatoes. “The browns bring a surprisingly sweet flavor as do the heirlooms,” says Jimmy Coppola with Westmoreland-TopLine Farms. Another unique aspect is the color. Browns bring a brown color with hints of green and red whereas the heirlooms are a mix of five varieties ranging in color from red, striped, yellow, green striped, purple, orange striped and brown.

Consumer research played a major role in the development of the brown and heirloom tomatoes, but demand from the company’s retail partners is another factor. “We find our retail partners are continuously looking for different items that consumers buy on a regular basis,” shared Coppola. Both browns and heirlooms were already supplied in bulk, but are now available in a smaller environmentally-friendly package.

“We are seeing increased demand for both these items,” said Coppola. “Consumers are looking for new items that taste great and time will tell whether these varieties will share similar consumption levels compared to traditional tomatoes. For now however, we cannot keep up with demand so the outlook is great,” declared Coppola.

The new packaging is 100 percent recyclable and fits in with the company’s sustainability plan to reduce its carbon footprint by reducing the amount of plastics within its product line and replace it by paper. “With the new packaging, we have noticed an increase in consumption. Consumer response is very positive and customers who have received a similar pack in plastic increasingly ask for the new packaging.”

Other new products from Westmoreland-Topline Farms that were launched in 2015 are mixed colored TOV tomato packs, gourmet Roma tomatoes in red and orange colors, slicer and mini slicer tomatoes. In addition, the company developed top seal pints for its gourmet medley tomatoes and sweet grape tomatoes.

For more information:

Jimmy Coppola

Tel: (+1) 519-322-2351 , ext.247