An Open Door Day was held at Belgian organic horticulture company Vitaetom on Sunday, 8 June. As part of Bioweek, the company from Zwijndrecht, Flanders, welcomed interested members of the public. "There were some concerns that it might remain quiet, but turnout exceeded expectations, with around 1,000 visitors throughout the day," said Koen van Hauteghem of Vitaetom.
Vitaetom is a family-run horticultural business that dates back to the 1950s. It originally began with strawberries, but in 1989 the company switched to tomato cultivation. Since 2016, Walter and Koen Van Hauteghem have focused entirely on organic production, driven by the belief that sustainability is more important than mass production. "The company grows organic greenhouse vegetables on around 2 hectares and specialises in unique varieties," explains Gunther De Vadder, responsible for organic products at BelOrta and a visitor to the Open Door Day. "These include vine tomatoes, cherry mixes, Rubyred, mini cucumbers, peppers, and the organic Tatayoyo, which we see great potential in. You could call them niche products, but we don't really dare use that term anymore. Tomatoes are usually a bulk item, and many varieties are now well established on store shelves, but these are still truly special."
These products were presented to the enthusiastic visitors with great care. "It was great to be able to host this event during the Whitsun weekend, and right in the middle of Bioweek," Koen says. Gunther adds: "He gave a wonderful presentation of the company's journey. In organic farming, even in large companies, we often see family businesses. Entrepreneurs who began from a passion and passed it on to their families, who then joined the business. There's a certain romantic aspect to it, which adds to the charm of the organic sector."
Visitors were guided through the process of organic farming. Clear examples were given of the use and importance of insects. "You could tell the audience found it fascinating," Gunther notes. "We in the sector are familiar with these methods, but for the general public, it's often entirely new. It's great to be able to show and explain, in a more direct way, what goes into these products. Not through marketing campaigns, but by personally introducing 1,000 consumers to organic farming."
"In that regard, Vitaetom was the perfect host," Gunther continues. "Koen is someone who dares to take on risky crops. Calculated risks, of course, but his foundation was laid with vine tomatoes and mini cucumbers. Now we're also doing it with Tatayoyo. We start with one grower, see how it performs in the market, and then expand if it catches on. That's how it began about ten years ago. Each time we expanded a little further, and now many of his products are now firmly established on the shelf. It's inspiring to see how boldness and ambition can build a market—and they showcased that beautifully during the Open Door Day."
For more information:
Vitaetom
Krijgsbaan 151
2070 Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht, Belgium
+32 476 24 58 10
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/vitaetom