Hazera introduces ‘Tomatoes that work for you’, a new umbrella concept of tomato varieties that turn the main issues that growers, retail chains and consumers face into advantages. Alfredo Mesa, Tomato Product Manager for Hazera, talks us through the concept’s benefits in resistance, quality, less labor, and sustainability. Grower Jerónimo Maldonado Estevez from the Granada area in Spain shares his experiences with the concept’s varieties.

“The varieties included in ‘Tomatoes that work for you’ are Camelot, Pendragon, and Windsor, all of them Tomato Miniplum type. They all harbor special qualities that benefit the growers”, Alfredo says. “Camelot was the first variety in the Spanish market to provide those special qualities: a perfect combination of high yield, exceptional fruit quality and long shelf life.

Recently, thanks to years of advanced research and substantial resources invested by the R&D department of Hazera, led by breeder José Antionio Zorrilla two new varieties, Pendragon and Windsor, holding ToBRFV IR resistance where developed and released to the market, adding the ToBRFV resistance while keeping the high yield, exceptional fruit quality and long shelf life.

Consistent quality = less waste

According to Alfredo, the reason this concept is called ‘Tomatoes that work for you’ is that “these varieties make the production of tomatoes easier, more efficient, and profitable for growers. Firstly, they have a very high yield potential, due to their great uniformity and consistency. There are almost no unmarketable fruits.” Jeronimo, whose specialty is growing cherry tomato types, confirms this claim. “With Camelot, 98% of the harvest was first category in quality, and nearly 100% of the harvest made it to the supermarket. There is almost no fruit waste. The variety maintains a very consistent quality throughout the year.” Alfredo: “The resistance to the main viruses, including ToBRFV for Pendragon and Windsor, definitely helps in maintaining this consistency and reducing fruit waste.”

Less labor, more profitability

“Another main advantage is the amount of labor, manpower and time that growers save in production and harvest”, Alfredo adds. According to Jeronimo, harvesting is only required every 10 to 15 days, instead of twice a week. “The fruits are bigger than in other varieties. So, there are fewer harvest moments, but I produce more fruit. The labor that is saved here is a very important argument for me to improve profitability, as it is the principal cost of growing cherry crops.”

“Additionally,”, he continues, “it’s easier and more efficient to manage as I can schedule harvest when it suits me the best, thanks to the extensive shelf-life of the tomatoes.” Alfredo confirms and strengthens that the varieties’ long shelf-life also contributes to profitability and helps to make the harvest itself easier. “You can harvest the entire cluster at once, instead of picking a few fruits from a few clusters. We estimate that savings can be up to a potential of 30% on manual labor thanks to the fast and efficient harvest.”

Win-win-win tomatoes

“The long shelf-life and outstanding firmness are great advantages for retail as well”, Alfredo says. “In internal tests we have conducted, post harvest results were very impressive and high results of the indices were recorded even after many days. For retailers, this means less food waste and better profits.” Last but not least, consumers also benefit from ‘Tomatoes that work for you’. “When people buy mini plum tomatoes, they expect exceptional taste. And that’s exactly what they get with Camelot, Pendragon, and Windsor fruits”, Alfredo says proudly. “And of course, the longer shelf-life also applies to the consumer’s kitchen. When we say these tomatoes work for you, we mean for growers, retailers, and consumers. A win-win-win situation for everyone.”

For more information about ‘Tomatoes that work for you’ click here