Hazera Introduces new packaging design as part of Its rebranding journey
Posted on Apr 08, 2025
Same seed quality, fresh new look!
Hazera, a global leader in the vegetable seed business, is excited to introduce a refreshed packaging design, delivering the same high-quality seeds with a modern, sustainable twist.
Over the past year, Hazera has undergone a comprehensive rebranding process, updating its visual identity with a contemporary graphic language that better reflects the brand’s core values. This transformation is now extending to our packaging.
As part of this change, Hazera is taking steps towards greater sustainability by transitioning to more environmentally friendly packaging by eliminating the use of cans.
What’s New?
A redesigned logo, updated colors, and a fresh graphic look
Improved sustainability—transitioning away from metal cans
What Remains the Same?
The same seed quality you trust
Our unique security hologram for guaranteed authenticity
Familiar package sizes
Same packaging materials
This transition will occur gradually. If you still receive the previous design, rest assured that the new packaging will be available in your future orders.
For more information, please contact: www.hazera.com / or check our social channels
HAZERA: Growing Together Hazera Seeds is a global company that develops, produces, and commercialize seed varieties and is a global leader in the seed industry. Hazera has headquarters in both the Netherlands and Israel and operates subsidiaries in 11 countries, together with a distribution network serving over 130 markets.
Hazera is part of the Limagrain Group, an international farmers’ cooperative based in France. Limagrain has grown into the largest seed company in Europe, specializing in vegetables, field crops and cereals. The vegetable seed division at Limagrain is the largest in the industry
At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While our products often steal the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Caroline Wagner, a dedicated tomato breeder in the High-Tech TOV segment.
Caroline Wagner has been with Hazera for four years as a tomato breeder in the High-Tech TOV segment. Caroline got her inspiration to pursue a career in agriculture from her uncles, as one was a farmer, the other one helped to build the first course of Agricultural Engineering in Brazil. Her academic journey includes attending an agricultural technical high school, earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Agronomy with a specialization in plant breeding, and completing a Doctorate in Science focusing on quantitative genetics. She moved from Brazil in 2008 and has been working in high-tech agriculture since 2012.
What is a common myth about your job or field of expertise?
Caroline shared two myths. One being a fun fact that “plant breeding is one of the oldest professions. Even the Bible mentions it and says that growers saved the best seeds from the best plants for the next season.” Then she continues with the other myth that “breeders are difficult people because of the advanced level of study involved in our work. Some believe we’re “too smart,” but that’s not the case. We’re regular people like anyone else -some better, some worse, but overall, we’re just human like everyone else.”
In your opinion, what is the most important personality strength someone would need to be successful in your job?
According to Caroline, if you want to succeed in her job “you need to be curious and humble, always open to learning from others. It’s essential to understand, accept, and adapt to imperfections because you will make mistakes. If you cannot overcome those challenges, plant breeding may not be the right field for you. You must also have the resilience to handle frustration and work well as part of a team.”
Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.
“I’m proud of helping Hazera create a breeding strategy for High-Tech tomatoes and leading the implementation of the TOV breeding program. It has been a unique opportunity to define all the needs in terms of technology, people, and working models. Aligning the breeding plan with market needs and being part of the entire process of seeing new varieties from creation to becoming the best option for customers is incredibly satisfying. I feel grateful to work in a place that shares my values of transparency, honesty, and trust, and where my contributions are genuinely appreciated.” Caroline smiled then added, “it’s energizing to collaborate with colleagues across different departments and countries and to know that my work adds value to the team. I’ll never forget the moment when the first plants we bred were ready to go into the greenhouse in Made.”
What does “Hazera – Growing Together” mean to you?
“To me, ‘Growing Together’ is more than a slogan.” Said Caroline. “It’s a vision for collaboration and collective success. Growth should always be a shared journey, whether it’s with colleagues or customers. It’s about working together, not in isolation.”
Tell us something interesting or funny about you most people don’t know.
“When I was a child still living in southern Brazil, I used to mix up the sounds of “V” and “F” in words, just like Dutch people do. Funny enough, I ended up becoming a Dutch citizen, as if it was meant to be. Another lucky coincidence,” Caroline continued “is that I now live just 5 km from where my grandparents used to live for three years during their temporary relocation from Brazil to the Netherlands back in the 1980s.”
Do you want to stay connected with our Hazera people?
Follow us on our social media channels to stay connected with our Hazera people! If you have any questions left, don’t hesitate to ask them via our contact page!
The story of Centro, a high-performing onion variety now sold throughout Europe, is one of innovation and strategic focus.Over the years, Centro has become a key symbol of Hazera’s dedication to producing top-quality onions and driving success in the global market.
Thirty years ago, Hazera’s market share in onions was low. In 1993, a dedicated project team was formed, bringing together experts from R&D, Marketing, and Commercial divisions, along with an external onion specialist. The goal: to uncover the reasons behind the low market share and implement impactful changes to significantly improve it.
Through extensive discussions with key growers and packers, the team identified the core issues—low yield and poor skin quality—which led to low pack-out rates and considerable losses for customers. This realization helped the team set new priorities, focusing on four key traits: yield, skin quality, dormancy, and firmness.
Recognizing that “what gets measured, gets improved,” the team invested in a machine to accurately measure firmness. This new approach provided clear focus and helped define the right priorities. Over the next decade, Hazera’s onion team consistently used this tool during their evaluations, allowing them to identify clear differences in traits like yield and firmness between Hazera’s genetics and those of competitors.
Together with a group of colleagues, the team selected breeding number 37-58 F1 for development. It was thoroughly tested with leading growers in key onion-producing regions, and a detailed plan was created to guide the project in the years to come. Numerous trials confirmed the variety’s exceptional performance. The variety was named “Centro” due to its high rate of single centers and was first launched in key markets, the Netherlands and Germany. Within 6-7 years, Centro gained popularity and was adopted in many other countries.
Hazera’s long-term commitment and investments have led to a substantial increase in its market share for onions. Hazera continues to focus on breeding and the development of high-yielding varieties with unique traits.
Would you like to learn more about Centro? Contact us!
Bringing fresh, healthy and sustainable vegetables to our partners worldwide
Posted on Jan 16, 2025
Hazera & HM.CLAUSE together at Fruit Logistica 2025 in Berlin, 5th to 7th February
Hazera and HM.CLAUSE, part of the Limagrain Group, will be present at Fruit Logistica from 5th to 7th February in Berlin. Michał Taraska and Manuel Ferrer, each leading the fresh chain approach for Hazera and HM.CLAUSE, will discuss their collaboration at their shared booth (A-50 in hall 1.2), highlighting innovative products and how collaboration strengthens the value chain.
Innovative solutions for the fresh chain
Over three days, visitors will discover solutions derived from our well-matched product portfolios. Michał explains: “both companies will contribute their unique expertise and diverse offerings through our collaboration. This is further strengthened by our shared ambition: bringing fresh, healthy and sustainable vegetables to our partners worldwide.
As joint forces, HM.CLAUSE and Hazera will present a wide selection of products at Fruit Logistica, with a special focus on tomato and watermelon varieties. “The range of our combined assortment is one of our key strengths,” Manuel emphasizes.
Portfolio HM.Clause
“Our Oxheart tomato range, including Dossimo and Flamansun, offers a vibrant color spectrum from red flame and brown to yellow,” Manuel explains. “Intuitivo and Curioso are two cherry tomato varieties that boast ToBRFV resistance. The Freeman variety represents our mid-sized tomatoes, known for their delicious taste and suitability for six-pack packaging.”
Manuel also highlights HM.CLAUSE’s melon range: “With varieties like Piel de Sapo, Galia, and the Cormoran in cantaloupes, our portfolio at Fruit Logistica showcases excellent taste, shelf life, and fruit quality.”
Portfolio Hazera
For Michał and Hazera, the focus is on healthy snack tomato varieties, especially the mini plum tomato Windsor. “This variety excels in virus resistance, high yield, 21-day shelf life and a more sustainable production process,” Michael explains. “With the upcoming yellow cherry tomato HA 49040, the first yellow cherry with ToBRFV (IR) resistance, we upgrade on the Summersun, a proven market leader in taste. Our third healthy snack tomato is the Tentadero, an umami-rich cherry tomato with a distinctive green-to-brown colour.”
In watermelons, Hazera continues to drive innovation with varieties like Exotica, Lynx, the Exceed-range, or novelties Mufasa – tiger type. “These hand-sized seedless watermelons are available year-round, and are known for their exceptional flavour and long shelf life,” Michał adds.
A strong and full shelf partnership
The collaboration between HM.CLAUSE and Hazera is built on years of experience. “Both sides bring deep knowledge and expertise,” says Manuel. Having led the development of key projects like Adora for HM.CLAUSE and Rosamunda for Hazera tomatoes, Manuel and Michal ensure that clients receive more comprehensive solutions, personal attention, and better results.
We are looking forward to seeing you at Fruit Logistica.
Meet us at our booth: A-50 in hall 1.2
HAZERA: Growing Together
Hazera Seeds is a global company that develops, produces, and commercialize seed varieties and is a global leader in the seed industry. Hazera has headquarters in both the Netherlands and Israel and operates subsidiaries in 11 countries, together with a distribution network serving over 130 markets. Hazera is part of the Limagrain Group, an international farmers’ cooperative based in France. Limagrain has grown into the largest seed company in Europe, specializing in vegetables, field crops and cereals. The vegetable seed division at Limagrain is the largest in the industry.
Harvesting Success: Southern Block Farming and Hazera South Africa Growing Together
Posted on Dec 17, 2024
Established in 2019, Southern Block Farming is nestled in the hot and humid sub-tropical climate of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on Blair Moore farm. Since its inception, the farm has been committed to cultivating high-quality produce while navigating the unique challenges presented by its environment. Central to this success story has been the strong partnership between Southern Block Farming and Hazera South Africa. Hazera, inspired by nature, brought their expertise to Southern Block Farming from the very start.
The collaboration began with James Kelly, Blair Moore farm’s founder, adopting Hazera’s Ferrara variety for cauliflower and broccoli. Despite the difficulties of growing brassicas during the summer season, the high cut percentage and excellent quality of Ferrara provided James with the perfect foundation for success. With Hazera’s guidance, even the challenging KwaZulu-Natal conditions became manageable.
By supplying varieties that promote healthy lifestyles and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices, Hazera supports not just farms but the communities they feed. This commitment extends globally, but Hazera’s local team—part of a diverse network spanning over 130 countries—demonstrates a deep understanding of regional challenges, delivering tailored solutions to meet Southern Block Farming’s specific needs.
As Southern Block Farming grew, so did their crop diversity. Hazera worked closely with James to phase rotations into his programme, conducting trials on carrots and other crops. These trials exemplified Hazera’s extensive research and their drive to improve yield, quality, and disease resistance. The technical advice provided by Hazera allowed James to identify the best carrot varieties for year-round supply, bolstering his farm’s reputation with buyers.
Events such as Hazera’s Carrot Day further strengthened this collaboration, introducing James to new industry knowledge and the opportunity to expanding his professional network.
Reflecting on the partnership, James stated that he appreciates the strong relationship built on mutual trust and respect. “Hazera’s team has always been by our side, offering advice and support whenever needed. Their commitment to growing together aligns perfectly with our mission,” James says. This trust epitomises Hazera’s promise, ensuring that farmers like James can fully unlock the potential of their seeds.
Drawing inspiration from our growers’ community spirit, nature, and the drive to succeed together, Hazera continues its efforts to support its loyal customers from seed to harvest.
Hazera’s new high-tech R&D greenhouse, unveiled last week in Made, the Netherlands, marks a significant milestone in the company’s ambition to become a leader in the high-tech tomato industry. The nearly 5-hectare facility, located next to Hazera’s headquarters, will serve as a cutting-edge hub for research and development.
This investment, supported by Limagrain’s vegetable seed division, aims to enhance Hazera’s research capabilities, focusing on developing tomato varieties with strong disease resistance (particularly to ToBRFV), high yield and excellent taste.
The official opening was done by the Mayor of Made-Drimmelen. From left to right Elad Shalit (Hazera), Gilles Gay (Limagrain), Mayor of Made-Drimmelen Mr. Scholtze, Milena Vulcheva (Deputy CEO Hazera) and Mary van Laar (Hazera)
The greenhouse is repurposed from an existing commercial operation, which aligns with Hazera’s commitment to sustainability. This facility will also allow Hazera to refine its breeding techniques and accelerate the development of innovative tomato varieties that meet evolving market needs. By leveraging advanced technology and expertise in breeding, Hazera aims to help growers overcome challenges and improve the quality of their crops.
The Netherlands, as a hub for high-tech tomato production, provides the ideal setting for this initiative, and Hazera envisions its new greenhouse as a vital tool for driving innovation and growth in the global high-tech tomato market.
Big thanks to the team
After the presentations and a tour of the greenhouse, we had the opportunity to discuss the future of tomato breeding in person with our partners. We also took the time to express our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated team of employees and contractors who worked on the construction of the new greenhouse.
Ready for the future “This new greenhouse demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and efficiency, as well as extension of business operations”, says the new appointed Deputy CEO Milena Vulcheva. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to this intensive period. This is a key milestone in our drive for innovation and ambition to become a leader in the high-tech tomato industry. Together with our partners worldwide we will build a sustainable future.”
A fresh boost for the region of Made “The acquisition and renovation of André van Zeijl’s greenhouse by Hazera provides a fresh boost to Plukmade” according to Mayor Scholtze of Made-Drimmelen. “Since 1999, Hazera has had its operations in Made, and this expansion further stimulates local employment and commercial activity. It is something we, as a municipality, are proud of.”
For more information, please contact: www.hazera.com / or check our social channels
HAZERA: Growing Together Hazera Seeds is a global company that develops, produces, and commercialize seed varieties and is a global leader in the seed industry. Hazera has headquarters in both the Netherlands and Israel and operates subsidiaries in 11 countries, together with a distribution network serving over 130 markets.
Hazera is part of the Limagrain Group, an international farmers’ cooperative based in France. Limagrain has grown into the largest seed company in Europe, specializing in vegetables, field crops and cereals. The vegetable seed division at Limagrain is the largest in the industry
Meet the people behind the crops: Jan-Lukas Pawlik
Posted on Dec 19, 2024
At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While our products often grab the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Jan-Lukas Pawlik (32) an R&D Trial Officer from Germany, who plays a vital role in our organization.
Jan-Lukas Pawlik has been working at Hazera as R&D Trial Officer since 2021 and is responsible for onion breeding trials in Germany in strong relation with the onion breeding team in Rilland. He lives with his wife and daughter in Weinheim. As the son of a biology teacher and a landscape architect, he has always been interested in the world of plants. After studying horticulture, he worked for an agricultural production company before joining Hazera.
In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait someone would need to have to work in your industry?
Flexibility and communication. As a trial area without a trial station, every activity is dependent on the partner growers and external companies. The weather and the availability of people and machinery must be coordinated. Whether to sow or harvest is decided anew every day.
Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why
Our harvesting machine, which was over 50 years old, was about to break down and could not guarantee that the trial plots would not be mixed. I was responsible for selecting a new harvester and, together with the production company, the necessary improvements and adjustments were made for the trial harvest. Today we have a reliable, flexible and modern harvesting machine for the coming years.
What does “Hazera- Growing Together” mean to you?
Responsibility – for employees, customers and varieties. To grow together as a company with our customers and our environment.
Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know
I’m not the biggest fan of the Christmas season, but I actually like the song ‘All I want for Christmas is you’ by Mariah Carey. So when this song is played up and down in the malls, I’m always happy.
Do you want to stay connected with our Hazera people?
Follow us our social media channels to stay connected with our Hazera people! If you have any questions left, don’t hesitate to ask them via our contact page!
Hazera’s newly appointed CEO reflects on Growing in the seed industry
Posted on Nov 13, 2024
Hazera’s newly appointed CEO reflects on Growing in the seed industry
A conversation with Hazera’s new CEO, Ofer Peleg
In his two and half years as Deputy CEO, and in leadership roles at dynamic global companies, Ofer Peleg has gained significant experience in business and agriculture. Now, as he steps into the CEO-role at Hazera, Ofer reflects on lessons learned and looks ahead to what the future holds.
“It’s been a fascinating 2.5 years, in which we’ve worked to optimize our efficiencies and leverage our capabilities”, Ofer begins. “I find the most valuable lessons to be this industry’s innovative nature and strong focus on sustainability. That is what is leading us to find better solutions every day. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Growing Together “For me, the customer is front and center,” Ofer explains his priorities and his plans to strengthen Hazera’s focus on growing together with customers worldwide, and with the growers in a diverse global community in more than 130 countries.
“We’re putting great effort into adding value for them with our solutions, such as improving our loyalty programs, service level agreements and seed products to meet the needs of clients in different markets.”
“There’s a strong sense of partnership, professionalism and community within the organization. It is evident that our employees enjoy what they do and go above and beyond.” Ofer highly values the input he receives from employees. “It’s important to me to always be listening to what they have to say. I’ll admit that I can be demanding as a manager, but the greatest demands I make, are for myself.” To continue moving forward, Ofer says, Hazera as an organization needs to be flexible, agile and strongly focused on product quality. “By fostering a strong sense of ownership in everything we do, we can push our organization to excellence.”
Building on a century of growth With Hazera celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025, Ofer takes a look at the future. “I’m honored that we’re part of the Limagrain Group, , together with our sister companies Vilmorin.Mikado and HM.Clause: the number one vegetable seed company in the world. Together, I see us continuing to play a huge role in the successes of the vegetable seed industry. And, most importantly, in the successes of the growers that we’ve been serving for nearly a century. We look forward to serving them for the century to come!” #GrowingtogetherAbout Ofer Peleg Ofer joined Hazera in 2022 as deputy CEO after working for four years at Netafim (precision Irrigation global leader) as Vice-President, Global Supply Chain. Ofer had also previously worked 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, most prominently at Teva Pharmaceuticals.
For more information, please contact: www.hazera.com / or check our social channels
HAZERA: Growing Together Hazera Seeds is a global company that develops, produces, and commercialize seed varieties and is a global leader in the seed industry. Hazera has headquarters in both the Netherlands and Israel and operates subsidiaries in 11 countries, together with a distribution network serving over 130 markets.
Hazera is part of the Limagrain Group, an international farmers’ cooperative based in France. Limagrain has grown into the largest seed company in Europe, specializing in vegetables, field crops and cereals. The vegetable seed division at Limagrain is the largest in the industry
Empowering Ethiopian farmers – a successful collaboration between Hazera, JDC and Greenlife
Posted on Sep 12, 2024
Hazera seeds, together with JDC, the global Jewish humanitarian organization, and its local representative Greenlife, has launched a two-year pilot program in Ethiopia. The project is part of TOV (‘Tikkun Olam Ventures’), JDC’s agricultural development project, that implements innovative agricultural technology (AgTech) to support and advance the businesses of smallholder farmers in developing countries, who currently use traditional farming methods.
Building on JCD’s decades-long and worldwide experience in collaborating with partners and companies such as Hazera, this program has been initiated to aid Ethiopia’s millions of smallholder farmers in increasing their crop yield with the help of AgTech.
Providing the foundation for success
The program started with seven demonstration sites, collaborating with local unions, MOAs and agricultural suppliers. Already in its second year, this collaboration has expanded to dozens of demo sites in targeted areas such as SNNPR, Amhara, and North Shewa to support hundreds of farmers growing tomatoes, onions, and peppers with the use of Israeli drip irrigation and fertilization systems. This technical support leads to enhanced productivity and better lives among the farmers, their families, and wider communities.
Local farmers unions and agribusinesses will also help the farmers get fair prices for their produce in previously untapped markets. TOV successfully managed to create a “Revolving Fund” model, which encourages the unions to adopt directed skillset and gives them the ability to purchase the seeds independently.
Hybrid seeds for a better yield
To achieve success, the JDC and Greenlife teams transfer the cultivational practices and knowledge needed to grow modern hybrid vegetables, with Hazera providing the hybrid seeds suited for the local growing conditions in Ethiopia. The goal of the program is to reach thousands of Ethiopian farmers over the next years.
One of these farmers is Mussa Jemal of Gurage. He shared that “Before partnering with the Greenlife and JDC, I planted local OPV vegetable crops, but since joining the project, I have access to Hazera’s hybrid vegetable seeds and seedlings, including Tomato Galilea, Hot Pepper Serenade Explorer and Onion Russet.”
“On top of these hybrid resources, the project also offers regular technical advice and extension services,” Jemal continued, “I’ve gained knowledge and skills to produce better quality yields by following the recommended agronomic practices and production protocols.”
Jemal proudly noted that based on the crop’s performance in the field, he anticipates a better yield this season.
The power of knowledge
Farmer Awgechew Betere, from Menjar Shenkora of Amhara, describes the importance of the knowledge transfer of the program and how it has helped his business.
“I’m getting regular technical support and extension advice on improving agronomic practices,” he said. “This includes irrigation, monitoring diseases and pests, fertigation, the application of pesticides and staking methods.”
Betere added that “all of this has improved my knowledge and skills in vegetable production. Thanks to the program, I’m sure I will get a better yield and income from the production. Furthermore, many of my neighbors have visited my farm and were motivated to produce hybrid vegetable crops as well next season!”
A fruitful collaboration
“As a leading seeds company in Africa and particularly in Ethiopia, we harness our strength and product portfolio for the good of this enterprise,” said Haggai Breslauer, the Sales Manager for Africa at Hazera. “Supported by our vast experience, we strongly believe that the combination of our added value of higher quality yield and the ability to compete with the challenging growing conditions brings significant advantages to the growers and their communities. This collaboration bears fruits of success, and we are proud to be part of this project!”
Hazera’s International Open Days: Showcasing our global portfolio to our partners & customers worldwide
Posted on Aug 26, 2024
Hazera’s International Open Days: Showcasing our global portfolio to our partners & customers worldwide
-Visit us & connect your senses-
Warmenhuizen, August 22nd – As Hazera, a leader in vegetable breeding and innovation, we are excited to announce our annual Open Days event. From Tuesday, September 24th to Thursday, September 26th. Growers, chain partners, and industry experts from around the world will converge at Hazera’s field in Warmenhuizen, The Netherlands
We are excited to grow together with you during our International Open Days. Connect your senses and experience our global range of varieties.
Hear our experts talk about our crops in the field and on display. Discover the latest techniques in mechanical planting and harvesting in our demonstrations.
What to Expect:
Open field varieties showcase: Visitors will have the unique opportunity to explore Hazera’s latest vegetable varieties. From all types of cabbages to leek, carrot, sweet corn and lettuce. In collaboration with HM.Clause and Vilmorin- Mikado. These varieties are meticulously developed to address challenges such as disease resistance, storage quality, yield, appearance, and taste. Our commitment to healthy and flavorful vegetables drives our continuous research and improvement efforts.
Innovative concepts: Hazera’s Open Days will unveil innovative vegetable concepts that prioritize taste, health, and ease of use. Notably, the extensive range of our ToBRFV tomato varieties and successful radish portfolio.
Fruited crops assortment: Inside the pavilion, we will showcase our tomato, cucumber and watermelon varieties. Visitors can explore the latest developments and innovations within these crops.
Guided tours and demonstrations: Our product managers will be offering you guided tours showing you our latest varieties and sharing with you the latest information & insights. There will also be planting and harvesting demonstrations on the demo field in collaboration with Verhoest & Agriplant.
Event Details:
Dates: 24-25-26 September 2024. From 10.00 – 17.00
Location: Kanaalweg 16 Warmenhuizen, the Netherlands More information: www.hazera.com/opendays
The International Open Days are organized in collaboration with HM.Clause & Vilmorin-Mikado.
From wraps to kimchi Sauerkraut may be on the decline, but its consumption has been stable for years.
The way we eat sauerkraut is changing: from stew to an oven dish, as a side dish, or in a salad. “A new, young target group has discovered the health benefits of fermented products. That gives cabbage a boost.
Large part of cabbage for industry
The majority of red cabbage goes to the processing industry. They end up cut into vegetable packets or pre-cooked in jars. About 70% of white cabbage goes to processing plants and other processors. This is preferably done as soon as possible after harvest, according to Maarten Danenberg, product manager of Hazera. The remaining 30% of the white cabbage in the Netherlands ends up on the shelf in its entirety. That proportion is higher with pointed cabbage, says Danenberg: “Pointed cabbage is easier to cut in your own kitchen. And we’re seeing more and more recipes with half or a quarter of pointed cabbage, pan-fried or grilled on the barbecue.”
Hazera’s pointed cabbages Regency & Dutchman
Pointed cabbage is one of the head cabbages that is clearly growing in volume, Danenberg observes: “Not spectacular; a few percent per year. But that increase has been going on for about twenty years.” The development is coming from the United Kingdom, especially to the Netherlands and Germany.” Popular varieties at Hazera are Regency and Dutchman (for summer cultivation) and Marshal (storage). We also see growth in our flat cabbage varieties like Callaway & Catelya for Central Europe, the Balkans and Turkey.
Brassica breeding is part of Hazera’s heritage
It originated with development of varieties for Western Europe, but today we are a global player with a wide assortment of purpose specific varieties. Our Research and Breeding teams are closely connected to our global network of subsidiaries and distributors, through whom we are in touch with the latest industry trends and preferred requirements within the various Brassica crops.
Hardness and skin firmness in onions crucial for retail, especially during shortages
Posted on Apr 25, 2024
In a year of challenging growing conditions, the quality of onions is an important concern for growers, processors, and breeders.Lindert Moerdijk, Sales Director at MSP Onions, and André Boot, Senior Onion Specialist at Hazera, focus on hardness and skin firmness, whilst emphasizing the importance of collaboration. “Those aiming to deliver quality must look ahead.”
“We faced a late sowing, followed by a hot summer with sunburn issues and a harvest with weather conditions that negatively impacted the internal quality of the onions”, André sums up the past year. “As a result, nearly every batch of onions has internal rot,” Lindert adds. “But our biggest challenge is internal sprouting. Due to the dry summer, conditions for MH spraying weren’t ideal, resulting in sprouting.”
“The times in which we viewed onions as a conventional arable crop are over. You must treat them as horticultural crops, directly catering to their needs. This way, you strive to create ideal conditions and thereby achieve consistent growth”, Lindert says. However, he acknowledges that growers can’t solve everything. “Solving internal sprouting requires substantial investments. Then the question arises: what do we expect from the climate in the next 10 years, how does this affect growing conditions, and can we anticipate it?”
Investing in quality
With their optical sorting machine, MSP Onions proves that forward-thinking pays off in the mutable onion industry. “By investing early on, we are now one of the few processors with an optical sorter that can be programmed for quality. This enables us to process almost every batch and deliver the right hardness and skin firmness,” Lindert explains. He sees this position being reflected in the demand. “We must work nights to meet demand. The decreasing quality of onions across Europe is evident from the fact that we’ve been supplying to other European countries since November. That’s unusually early. This also presents opportunities for Dutch growers.”
MSP’s optical sorting machine enables them to deliver the right hardness and skin firmness
Hard and firm
“In the current market, even with overcapacity, shortages exist for onions that meet the highest quality standards,” Lindert continues. “So, these quality standards are crucial for us. In Hazera’s onion varieties, we can see they share that focus.” André confirms this. “Especially in the lighter sandy soils, where onion cultivation has expanded in recent years. Varieties like Vento, Dormo, and Centro perform well there. In that soil, you need onions that naturally grow more slowly to stay firm.”
Skin firmness is a significant theme for both Hazera and MSP as well. “Our varieties are characterized by a nice round shape and high storage efficiency,” André explains. “It’s important for the grower that the onions maintain the same quality later in the season. If they grow too fast, you’ll encounter baldness later on. That’s not an issue with our varieties.” MSP’s processing also focuses on maintaining skin firmness. “In our process, product friendliness takes precedence over quantity. No bulk, but rather fewer onions that are genuinely good,” says Lindert. “Especially now that the quality of onions coming from the fields is under pressure, caution is necessary.”
Dormo, under the right conditions, the firmest onion with the best skin retention in the Rijnsburger range.
A stronger future together
According to Lindert, the strength of the collaboration between MSP Onions and Hazera lies in their shared ambition. “We both want to continuously elevate the Dutch onion to a higher level. We also have a joint responsibility to advise growers as well as possible. The knowledge Hazera shares with us about onion varieties is invaluable from MSP’s perspective.” André adds, “We want to advise growers, especially in new cultivation areas, on where they can go for high-quality processing. Collaborating closely with processors and sharing knowledge are crucial in this.”
The snack vegetable radish mix: colourful, healthy, and Best Product of the Year
Posted on Mar 04, 2024
In the Nederlandse Consumentenverkiezing (Dutch Consumer Election) of 2023-2024, the AH Snack Vegetable Radish Mix, for which Hazera produces and breeds the radish seeds, has been elected as the Best Product of the Year in the category of potatoes, vegetables, and fruit. Dirk-Jan Polak, Crop Specialist in radishes, lamb’s lettuce, and baby carrots, sees the award as a compliment for the entire chain behind this product. “You help people make healthier choices.”
According to Dirk-Jan, the success story of the radish mix begins with genetics. “This ensures that we can continuously deliver high-quality seeds, allowing the grower to produce an excellent final product. Our radishes are beautifully round, have good internal quality, and grow very consistently during different seasons and weather conditions.” As a market leader in radish seeds, seed quality is a top priority at Hazera. “Credit for this goes to the breeders,” says Dirk-Jan. “Through continuous development, we have been able to introduce distinctive radish varieties to the market.”
Unique combination
In addition to genetics and seed quality, it’s the ability to produce radishes in various colors that makes the difference. “Purpella F1 and Whitella F1, purple and white radishes respectively, are the only two colored radish varieties cultivated on a serious scale. And they come from Hazera.” Combined with the well-known red radishes, these colored varieties form the AH Snack Mix. An idea from grower Ortolanda, says Dirk-Jan. “The mix of various colored radishes, sold in top seal packaging, aligns with the growing demand for snack vegetables, Ad Coolbergen, managing director of Ortolanda, explains.
Growing together
“We always keep the consumer in mind, on whose plate our product ultimately ends up. That’s why the collaboration throughout the chain is so important.” Dirk-Jan refers to the cooperation between Hazera, Ortolanda, Bakker Barendrecht (a Greenyard company) and Albert Heijn, from which the award-winning radish mix originated. “Breeding, developing, growing, and marketing these types of products requires craftsmanship.” Ad confirms this. “The successful introduction of a new product in the market requires good chain collaboration, where everyone is on the same page. This way, we can collectively meet the market’s needs and respond to consumer trends.”This has been excellently achieved with the radish mix, says Dirk-Jan. “The trend for 2024 is healthy snacking, where people choose vegetables and fruits instead of candy or chips. This radish mix perfectly addresses this trend, fulfilling two important consumer needs: healthy and convenient snacking.” Ad expects the mix to appeal to an entirely new, mainly younger, target audience. The radishes look appealing, are healthy, and are ready to eat straight from the container. With this product, Albert Heijn makes healthy snacking accessible.” Hazera and Ortolanda are both proud to contribute to this.”
Stay on track
Dirk-Jan is optimistic about the future, both in terms of the product and within the chain collaboration. “Radish is a beautiful vegetable that helps people make healthier choices. The fact that the AH Snack Vegetable Radish Mix has been chosen as the best product is a recognition that, with our breeders and partners, we are on the right path and an encouragement to continue the constant development of such products.”
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About Ofer Peleg
