Rijk Zwaan inspires consumers with a choice of new colours

 

New colour combinations in fresh produce displays can entice shoppers to choose the healthy option even more frequently. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is therefore launching a number of colourful innovations: under the Sweet Palermo® brand as well as in snack tomatoes and kohlrabi. 

 

 

Colour is an important consideration for Rijk Zwaan when breeding new varieties. Growers and retailers are interested in new colours because they contribute to the diversification of the fresh produce category. New and attractive colours enable chain partners to offer premium products that inspire consumers and entice them to buy.

 

 

The orange and chocolate-coloured sweet pointed peppers in the Sweet Palermo range are a prime example of a product developed in response to that market demand. Marketing Specialist Heleen van Rijn-Wassenaar: “New colour combinations will help us to continue to develop the growing segment of sweet pointed peppers. Both the flavour and shape of the red Palermo RZ are exceptional, which has set the bar high for other colours. But following on from the yellow pointed pepper, we can now also proudly present an orange and a ‘chocolate’ variant.” These four colours – red, yellow, orange and brown – make it possible to create many different blends within the Sweet Palermo brand. “To help inspire our chain partners, we offer new packaging concepts and ideas for blends. In the run up to the summer, we’re launching a campaign called ‘Colouring the Year’ to support the introduction of these colours,” explains Van Rijn. 

 

 

Besides various colours of peppers, Rijk Zwaan offers lots of diversity in tomato colours. Marketing Specialist Johan Vis: “We have delicious yellow, pink, orange and even green tomatoes. Some of them are already available for growers, such as the new pink cherry tomato 72-005 RZ and our well-known yellow Maggino RZ, orange Operino RZ or orange Farbini RZ. Other colourful novelties are still in the test phase. Growers can come to the Rijk Zwaan demo centres to see and taste these new tomatoes for themselves, and the same goes for our latest peppers.” Rijk Zwaan’s chain partners are welcome to visit the Trial Center Tomato in Kwintsheul (the Netherlands) and the demo in Leamington (Canada).

 

 

Colour is what makes all the difference in the Violet & Luca innovation too. This new blend of a purple and a white kohlrabi can appeal to a whole new market, according to Marketing Specialist and kohlrabi fan Michael Sempf: “Kohlrabi is primarily big in Germany, but it has the potential to expand beyond that market. After all, it’s a healthy and versatile type of cabbage. It can be used in both traditional and oriental cuisine, and is also a delicious snack. The Violet & Luca concept stands out in terms of both colour and flavour. The purple Violet has an intense taste, whereas the white Luca is more subtle. With this sustainable and appealing duo pack, we hope to inspire the market to get more out of kohlrabi.” That’s how we share a healthy future.