A tasteful kick-off for Timing Taste
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
“Nice job, something completely different”, that’s the comment we got several times yesterday during the kick-off of our Timing Taste concept. A very nice start of the campaign, which focuses on taste, perfect timing and how taste is to be brought much more to the attention of the chain members.
Almost 100 invitees visited us at this kick-off we organized at Tomato World in Hondelersdijk, in the west of the Netherlands. The invitees also included the press, people from the trade and some top tomato growers in the Netherlands. In short, it was a great gathering of people from the chain, resulting in interesting discussions about taste before and after the organized symposium. Yesterday was a great start of the series of activities we planned for this campaign. Next week, 18 November, the next event takes place during the Housefair of Enza Zaden Spain.
Combining the genetics of taste with expertise
The theme of the meeting was clear: Enza Zaden has the know-how and the genetics to create top varieties. The past has shown that Enza Zaden is also capable of having these varieties ready for introduction just when the market is ready for a new move. This was the case with Campari and Aranca, for example, the first tomato varieties offering great taste. Even more so, these varieties opened up the whole new market segment of cocktail tomatoes. Combining tasty, quality varieties with a sense of good timing is unique in the market and some added value Enza Zaden can offer. Hein Bemelmans, Director Marketing & Sales, was more than happy to explain this in more detail during his presentation about selling taste and quality. “We should collect market information that we consequently link to the genetics we have in stock”, explained Hein the successes from the past and the plans for the future.
Product as brand
“Habt Ihr Tomaten auf die Augen”, or translated “Do you have tomatoes on your eyes?” (“Are you blind?”). Ton Janssen of the grower’s association Tasty Tom used this sentence to refer to all the affairs that should be taken care of when a product is put in the market. Or in fact, all the affairs that in fact are not addressed in today’s business to sell the products properly. It’s important, according to Ton, that consumers regard a brand as a product and therefore look for specific brand on the shelves. How this can be achieved? Thinking cleverly and, most of all, investing considerably in the promotion of taste. With the Timing taste concept, Enza Zaden likes to take a first step in the right direction.
Combining genetics with expertise
“Nature offers a great amount of genetics”, started Jeroen Rouppe van der Voort, Manager Biotechnology at Enza Zaden, his presentation about the scientific unravelment of the taste factor. He gave a short insight of the essence of breeding and what is involved in developing tasty varieties: a combination of a genetic source, R&D structure and expertise. He emphasised that nature itself has plenty genetics to offer for endless possibilities. Today’s technology, therefore, only have this process run more efficiently, Jeroen explains.
“Life is too short to drink a bad tasting wine”
Choosing between quantity and quality is an easy choice for Ilja Gort, the prize-winning winegrower and author of several bestsellers. Taste and quality should never be sacrificed for quantity is his opinion. Timing Taste embraces this thought to prioritize taste above all. “Life is too short to drink bad tasting wine”, said Ilja in his amusing presentation. If you ask us, this also goes for eating tomatoes.