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.  

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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.” 

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Check out our latest June issue – the refreshing watermelon edition! 🍉

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

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.

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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.

Paul Fiers has been working for Hazera since 2022 as a crop specialist for onions and leek in the southeast Netherlands region. He is married to May and has a son and a daughter. Paul has a rich agricultural history. He was a team leader in agribusiness industry for 15 years and he also had his own vegetable growing business till 2006. Paul said “working in and with nature is always challenging and requires a flexible attitude. “If it can’t be done as it should then it should be done as it can” is a saying that fits me well.”

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In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait someone would need to have to work in your industry?

“To be successful in our industry, it is important to have a good network and continue to build on it.” Said Paul. “You must enjoy meeting new people. We also have a huge capital of experience and knowledge within Hazera. If you know how to combine all this information well with your own experience, then you will always be an excellent discussion partner. And as the saying goes a flying crow always catches something.” He smiled.

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.

“Something I’m certainly proud of are the strides we made with the onion sales team last year. By making good use of the cultivation area per region we are much better at making the forecast. With this, we can actually see what our market share is per region and per variety. Based on this we make an action plan per region to increase the market share.”

What does “Hazera- Growing Together” mean to you?

“For me, growing together means working with everyone the best possible way, understanding and thinking in terms of solutions rather than problems.”

Can you please explain how one of Hazera’s pillars affects you daily?

“We have the earth on loan and are obliged to pass it on better than as we found it.” Said Paul. “Here I see the pillars of Hazera (inspired by nature/ good for people/ global diversity and invested expertise) reflected. With a rapidly growing world population, we face major challenges we need to overcome.”

Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.

“When I was young, I played trumpet for several years, but due to busy work I later stopped doing this.” Said Paul in a said voice. “A few years ago, I made an attempt to start playing trumpet again but have not really succeeded until now. Who knows what the future will bring?”

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“I’m thrilled to debut in the Hazera newsletter and share exciting updates about Hazera’s new additions to our watermelon portfolio, especially our latest developments.”

~ Rafael Mora – Eastern Sales Manager

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Working alongside our fantastic team of breeders, product developers, and sales professionals, Hazera has been diligently visiting fields, listening to customers, and witnessing firsthand how our products meet and exceed market demands.

With a market trending towards convenience and exceptional eating experience for consumers, high-yielding, resistance package and sustainable results for growers, and transportability and extended freshness for shippers, Hazera has been working hard over the last few seasons to create a new line of watermelons that will surprise the industry.

One of the key benefits of our watermelons is their convenient size. Hazera is already renowned in the industry for its successful line of convenient small-sized watermelons. Building on this success, we are now innovating with mini watermelons and also introducing a line of regular-sized watermelons. These new varieties boast superior internal quality, flavor, juiciness, crunchiness, and vibrant colored flesh while maintaining these traits for a long period of time. And, of course, they are seedless.

Our new watermelon line offers the market a complete portfolio of advanced varieties, ensuring shippers and retailers can manage a product that arrives in perfect condition and maintains its freshness both internally and externally for a long time. Growers will also benefit from high-yielding varieties that are easy to cultivate and come with robust resistance packages, including resistance to Powdery Mildew.

With these new additions, Hazera is assembling one of the most comprehensive and innovative assortments of watermelon varieties providing solutions for diverse needs across the supply chain.

Join us at our upcoming watermelon field days to see these exciting developments firsthand. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore our latest news and varieties.

Sign up now to our >> Woodland field days here <<

Looking forward to seeing you in the field!

 

“It brings back memories of my childhood, eagerly awaiting the moment after hamburgers and hot dogs on a scorching summer day barbecue or family gatherings, anticipating the slicing of that massive watermelon. We’d grab our half slice of that that juicy watermelon, and the fun would begin. We’d munch away, our faces turning red, sugary juices dribbling down on our cheeks, and we’d be engaging in seed-spitting contests. The joy of chasing a friend, spitting seeds, and seeing them with a big black seed stuck to their face was pure victory!”

~ Barry Younkin – Western Sales manager

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But let’s not let this be just nostalgia; it can be a reality today. Hazera is dedicated to breeding seeded watermelons, both large and small, catering to consumers who crave that old-fashioned taste. Just like Virgo, reminiscent of the taste of yesteryears, a family-sized, massive 20–25-pound watermelon or Mirella, a mini seeded variety that still delivers that nostalgic flavor.

At Hazera, we breed for everyone. For the nostalgic, craving the black seed and unmatched taste, Hazera’s Virgo is an excellent choice. For smaller families or those with limited refrigeration space, we offer mini-seeded options, all with exceptional taste. And, most importantly, for farmers who need high yields and cutting-edge technology to thrive in challenging economic and environmental conditions.

To meet today’s demands, we must ensure fruit availability year-round, which is leading to long-distance shipping from the southern hemisphere and coast-to-coast transport. We continuously improve our seeded portfolio, focusing on the best internal qualities and flavor and at the same time, we consider growers’ feedback crucial, breeding for grafting to adapt to global shipping and depleted lands. That is why, besides our seeded portfolio, we are also focusing on our mini seedless watermelon portfolio.

Hence, we cannot write about watermelons without mentioning one of our top varieties, Onza, a mini seedless watermelon that stands out for its exceptional qualities. Onza boasts high yields, fortified with resistance against powdery mildew, and is supported by a robust vine, ensuring its vitality throughout the growing season.

One of Onza’s standout features is its impeccable rind-to-flesh ratio, making it an optimal choice for shipping without compromising on quality. With its vibrant deep red internal color, Onza is not only visually appealing but also promises a lengthy shelf life, earning it a cherished spot among consumers.

Furthermore, Onza delights with its high brix content, ensuring a sweet and flavorful taste with every bite. Its balanced plant structure contributes to its overall resilience, while its compact size, with an average ratio of 50/50% of 6 and 8 watermelons per box, adds to its practicality.

Designed for freshness, Onza is best enjoyed as a fresh-cut treat, perfect for satisfying cravings and adding a burst of flavor to any meal. Its round shape and tiger rind pattern further enhance its aesthetic appeal, making it a standout choice for both growers and consumers alike.

In summary, Onza represents the epitome of quality and innovation in the world of seedless mini watermelons, offering not only superior taste but also convenience and longevity. With its resistance to powdery mildew and impressive yield, it stands as a testament to excellence in agricultural advancement.

Hazera strives to bring back the taste of the good old days, ensuring consumer satisfaction and grower profitability.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore our latest news and varieties.

Sign up now to our >> Woodland field days here <<

Looking forward to seeing you in the field!

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.”

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.”

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.”

Did you know pepper Maccabi is one of Hazera’s most well-known varieties worldwide? This pepper is one of the first pepper varieties in the world, which- thanks to its long shelf life- is sold truly red for the fresh market, which was innovative at the time. Launched in the 1970’s in the USA and Mexico, Maccabi is still a main player and is being sold to this day.

Today, Hazera’s pepper portfolio is the result of years of intensive research and development to create sweet pepper varieties of all types.

We are inspired by nature. We want our crops to be as healthy as possible. In our development process we focus on new solutions, breeding disease free crops to strengthen the global food system.

Everything starts with growing together.

Would you like to learn more about our pepper varieties? Do not hesitate to contact us.

Embarking on a field excursion last week, we joined Adam, our Onion and Radish Product Manager.

We strolled through the vast expanse of crops, engaging with growers and meticulously inspecting our commercial varieties. This provided us with the unique privilege of sitting down with Adam for an insightful interview, delving into the latest innovations that promise to redefine the landscape of radish cultivation. Join us in this article to unravel the intricacies of our Radish innovation and gain a firsthand perspective on the advancements shaping our agricultural endeavors.

In the relentless evolution of agriculture, the narrative of Hazera radish emerges as a tale of ingenuity, unwavering commitment, and a
profound grasp of market dynamics. As the agricultural landscape undergoes a revolution with mechanical harvesting, Hazera strategically positions itself as a trailblazer in the production of round radish seeds.

Over the years, the company not only fulfilled the demand for traditional red radishes but also diversified its offerings with a vivid palette of colors, aligning with the evolving preferences of consumers globally.

Agricultural Revolution

The era of mechanical harvesting brings forth a transformation in agriculture, emphasizing erect plant habits and uniformity. Hazera’s visionary approach and dedication to breeding varieties that meet these criteria establish its seeds as the preferred choice for farmers worldwide. As consumers increasingly opt for ready-to-eat foods, the demand for radishes with a pristine white interior takes center stage, solidifying Hazera’s role as the preeminent supplier for processing.

Diversification and Market Dynamics

Hazera’s ambitions extend beyond red radishes; the company actively explores the development of radish varieties in a kaleidoscope of colors, including purple, white, and tiger, injecting an element of delight into the consumer experience. This diversification strategy propels Hazera into the coveted position of the largest global supplier of main round radish seeds. Success in the industry hinges on the collaboration of stakeholders: an enthusiastic breeding team, a market-savvy sales team, a dedicated supply chain, and a forward-thinking marketing team.

Hazera Radish

A Nutrient-Rich Delight: While radishes are conventionally associated with salads, Hazera successfully emphasizes the versatility of this unassuming vegetable. Whether red, white, or purple, round or elongated, Hazera’s radish varieties offer an array of health benefits. Abundant in essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc, radishes are not just flavorful but also serve as potent detoxifiers due to their high antioxidant content. Hazera’s radish varieties align with the ever-evolving preferences of consumers, establishing it as a global favorite across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Leadership in Red Hybrid Varieties

Hailing from the cruciferous or mustard family, radishes have been a focal point in Hazera’s research and development initiatives for over four decades. The company proudly claims a leading position in the production of round red hybrid radish varieties, suitable for both indoor and outdoor cultivation. The devoted team of breeders at Hazera tirelessly strives to address the expressed needs of growers, processors, and distributors across diverse markets.

A Flourishing Future for the Worldwide Radish Chain

Critical to both distributors and consumers is the assurance of a good shelf life, high quality, enticing taste, and a fresh appearance. Hazera’s radish breeders skillfully adapt the crop to meet these criteria, ensuring a robust future for the worldwide radish chain. Hazera’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation resonates from the field to the table, solidifying its role as a pivotal player in the global agricultural landscape. As the journey unfolds, Hazera’s dedication continues to shape the radish industry, setting new benchmarks for excellence.

Want to know more about our business?

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Staay Food Group and Hazera Seeds present new watermelon

Exceed mini watermelon nominated for Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2024

The Exceed mini watermelon has been nominated for the 2024 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award, marking a proud moment in the long-standing partnership between Staay Food Group and Hazera. The winner will be announced at Fruit Logistica in Berlin (7-9 February), where Staay will be present to premier the Exceed watermelon.

Mark Loojenga, Marketing Manager at Staay Food Group, and Michal Taraska, Global Value Chain Lead at Hazera, discuss the product, the partnership and what to expect at the Food Logistica.

Exceeding expectations
According to Mark and Michal, the Exceed watermelon has earned its nomination through a unique combination of qualities that benefits growers, retailers and consumers. “The Exceed watermelon is a durable and eco-friendly variety, with strong resistance to diseases like powdery mildew, and has plants that provide multiple harvests. Not only does this make life easier for the grower, but it also requires less fungicides and significantly less water than the production of traditional watermelons”, Mark says. Michal adds that this also helps reduce food waste: “Exceed makes it possible to reduce losses in production and during transport.”

“And due to the variety’s extended shelf-life of over 5-10 days longer than traditional watermelons, this variety displays a long-lasting freshness in both supermarkets and consumer’s homes”, he continues. With its compact, uniform size the Exceed watermelon answers a strongly growing call in the (Northern) European and American markets for smaller watermelons. “The size is suitable for ever smaller households and easy to keep in the fridge. And they’re seedless, which is both a major convenience for consumers and a waste-saver.” Mark adds. “But it’s the taste and color they come back for.” Michal: “The Exceed mini watermelon has a really sweet and crispy taste, as is shown by its above average Brix level.”

Team effort
The Exceed mini watermelon is the latest success in a long-standing collaboration between Staay Food Group and Hazera. “Staay is a strong and dynamic partner, which is key for successfully introducing a new product to the market”, Michal says. He underlines the importance of such a partnership for Hazera. “We can provide the best Formula One car, but we still need a top-class driver to win the race. In Staay Food Group, we’ve found that driver.”

An analogy Mark wholeheartedly agrees with. “Hazera provides top-quality seeds that are perfectly suited for our fields in Costa Rica. And with this newly developed variety, we perfectly reflect the demands of the market; we’re able to grow the right products. The Exceed mini watermelon is another step in our close and fruitful cooperation.”

Premier release at Fruit Logistica Berlin
The premier release of the Exceed mini watermelon for the European market will take place at Fruit Logistica, where Staay Food Group will be present at stand B45 in hall 3.2. “Here, we will also display a selection of other products we grow and offer ourselves,” Mark elaborates. “For the first time we can show our three club varieties of colored pears together: The Red Conference, Early Desire and Dazzling Gold are all exclusively available through Staay Food Group. Secondly, we show our hydroponic lettuces, and finally our wide range of available vine tomatoes. In addition, we will bring special attention to our branch in Venlo, which focuses on the food service industry. This location provides a quite unique service for the German market, where customers can buy products per box instead of per pallet and can combine different products on one pallet. This is ideal for restaurants, who usually don’t need entire pallets of one product.”

The prize-giving ceremony for the innovation award will take place on 9 February 2024, 2.30 p.m. at the FLIA Technology special exhibition area between Halls 1.1 and 2.1. Mark and Michal agree this nomination “shows we are on the right track in our team effort to successfully align the development, cultivation, sales and marketing of excellent and innovative products.”

At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While we tend to put our products in the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Alvaro Andrino (45), Sales Manager for Central America from Guatemala City, Central America.

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Alvaro Andrino (45) has always wanted to study and work in agriculture. Even though his family had been involved in the industry, it was his childhood friends, who made him want to go into this field. “When I was young, I spent a lot of time at my friends’ cattle farm to look at the animals and to be a “cowboy.” He smiled. “I was always surrounded by agriculture, so it is not surprising that I fell in love with this industry. After graduation, I started my professional career working with plants. It has been about 24 years now.”

In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait someone would need to have to work in your industry?

“Patience.” Alvaro said right away with confidence. “You must be very patient. I have a history of working with chemicals you apply to the crops. That was my first job and I quickly learnt, that when working with chemicals you can do trials and within 24 – 48 hours, you can see the results. With seeds, it is different, it is slow. Developing a good variety can take years.” Alvaro continued. “So, patience is very important, but so is understanding the crops from the beginning. In this job, you need to be on the fields to truly understand the crop and to see the characteristics that would make a variety successful.”

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.

“I am quite proud of the Exceed project we are working on for the Fresh Chain. As part of it, with our mini seedless watermelon variety, Exceed, we got ranked quite high at the innovation award at Fruit Logistica in Berlin. I am happy about it because it is a project, we started around three years ago when developing this variety. I was confident in Exceed, but what positively surprised me was how efficiently and professionally the team worked to achieve this. We needed to arrange samples for the event, we needed to do the promotions, and talk to the clients at the fair etc… There was trust, which is very important.” He says with a smile. “Especially because we are still just at the beginning of this project.”

What does “Hazera- Growing Together” mean to you?

“For me, growing together means understanding that event though everything begins with the seed, we need to work together with breeders, growers, portfolio managers and so on to develop the right seeds that can grow into a strong plant and later can prove a nice dining experience to people. We need to develop new technologies, have to listen to growers, and be on the fields to see and learn. Learning is also a form of growing.”

Can you please explain how one of Hazera’s pillars affects you daily?

“All four pillars, inspired by nature, good for people, global diversity, and Invested expertise are very connected and are important to me.” Alvaro was thinking hard. “But if I had to choose one, I would say inspired by nature. I consider myself a lucky person for having to work in in this field for a long time. I love going to the field early in the morning when the sun has not even come out yet, but when it does, you see the whole crop in a different light, it is like as if the sun is giving them life. It is beautiful. But I also understand how much work it is to create such a beauty. Just think of how much effort and time are put into one seed. But it is all worth it because we are doing good for people, providing them with food.”

Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.

“I have a wonderful family. I am happily married to my wife, Luisa and we have an amazing cat, Dalí. I love sports. Any kind, let it be rowing, tennis, football, rugby. I try to do sports every day, even at four in the morning or ten at night. I am very passionate about it. I think that your mind and body have to be on the same level. You cannot be a balanced person if you are not taking care of yourself. I am also very passionate about the industry and my work. Also, because I love doing what I do, but also because of my mother, who passed away two years ago.” Alvaro continued with a sad voice. “She and my two older brothers were and still are a great inspiration for me in everything I do. She was a truly amazing woman who motivated me a lot to continue study and to do a good work.

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Growing up on his family farm in Poland, Michal Taraska developed two main interests: agriculture, coming from the family business, and the commercial aspect, stemming from his grandfather who owned the bank in their village. Now, he combines those two passions in his role as Global Fresh Chain Lead for Hazera. In this article, Michal introduces himself and shares his insights on the Global Tomato Congress (GTC) he recently attended in the Netherlands. 

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“What I like about working in the seeds business is that you are involved right from the beginning of the process. These early stages are crucial for producing quality products,” Michal says. And when it comes to growing fresh produce, he knows what he is talking about. Having grown up surrounded by crops like onions, sugar beans, and wheat grown for seeds, Michal pursued an Agriculture Course at the University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, followed by a series of jobs with leading seed production companies. For the past 8 years, Michal has been further developing his expertise with the Limagrain group, spending the first five years as the Sales and Development Manager in HM. Clause, and the past three years as a Project Manager responsible for partnerships with retailers.

From local to global impact

“One of our main projects there was to promote our Rosamunda Tomato variety in the fresh chain market,” Michal says. “It was a significant challenge since the Fresh Market was considered saturated and standardized. However, thanks to a strong team effort and a lot of hard work, we managed to introduce our innovative variety on the shelves of many major supermarkets and retailers. It’s an achievement that I’m very proud of.” His successful leadership role in this project led Michal to the conclusion: “If we can achieve this in Poland, can we also do it in other markets and on a global scale? It’s a great challenge with a lot of responsibility, but I’m ready to embrace it.”

Professional goals

As the Global Value Fresh Chain Lead of Hazera, Michal wants to continue getting Hazera’s products on the shelves of major retailers worldwide. “We have fantastic products and innovations that I want to introduce to the world. Another important goal of mine is to develop strong relationships with the people within our company and sister companies because achieving our goals will always be a team effort and lead to team victories. My new position combines the three things I love most about our field of work: the inspiring people, a healthy product that can have a positive impact on people’s lives, and the challenging projects we undertake.”

Inspiration all around

To find solutions for the challenges that come his way, Michal draws inspiration from two main sources; other people and the world at large. “I believe that listening to others, especially those with different perspectives, is an essential resource for generating new ideas on how we approach our business. But inspiration also comes from the world around you. I draw a lot from my hobby, kitesurfing. The interaction with wind and water allows me to recharge my batteries and enter a creative state of mind where my best ideas emerge.”

Global Tomato Conference 

“My first attendance at the GTC left a strong impression on me,” Michal says. “It was inspiring to meet numerous experts from the seed industry and affiliated businesses all in one place. However, I was somewhat surprised by the relatively low number of growers and retailers in attendance. I believe events like this play a crucial role in knowledge sharing and collaboration, ultimately contributing to our collective goal of helping growers address the challenges they face. But I see opportunities to enhance the value of a conference like this by expanding its scope and involving more retailers and growers.”

“I was impressed by the consistent quality of Hazera’s products on display and the positive reception they received,” Michal continues. “The combination of firmness, extended shelf life, visually appealing characteristics, and delightful taste make Hazera’s tomato varieties a compelling choice for both retailers and consumers.” Michal concludes with a final lesson learned from the GTC and advice for growers: “Striking a right balance between providing resistance to viruses and maintaining delicious taste  will enhance the overall desirability and marketability of the tomatoes produced, benefiting both producers and consumers.”

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Hazera was present at the AgroExpo 2023 on Crete, Greece, from 26-28 May. Dimitris Karanikolos, Financial Administration Manager and Marcom Business Partner for the Greek subsidiary, explains the importance of this event. “Since last November, the Crete area has seen an increase in problems with the ToBRFV-virus. That’s why we had two main goals at the exhibition: to introduce and promote our ToBRFV-resistant varieties, and to spread information and increase awareness amongst local growers.”

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“By now, around the 30% of the tomato cultivation in Greece has been affected by ToBRFV”, says Dimitris, further highlighting the vital importance of a strong and efficient policy against the virus. A policy that includes tomato varieties that are strong both in fruit quality and resistance. To get the main message on ToBRFV varieties across at the exhibition, Hazera created three main pillars: A fancy booth to spread awareness and display the products, meetings with small teams of agronomists to spread knowledge and a special demo field where growers could see the ToBRFV resistant varieties in the field.

Providing the right tools

“It is very important for us to build a stronger relationship with growers, but also with local agronomists, because they go into many different greenhouses and support the cultivation”, Dimitris says. “We noticed that the agronomists were very happy both with the complete knowledge we provided and the products that we offered. Our tomatoes are very tasteful and cover all the needs and standards of the Greek market, and besides that they also have ToBRFV IR resistance. This, combined with the information and awareness we spread, gives both growers and agronomists the tools they need to create healthy products of great quality.”

Knowledge is key.

When asked about his highlights of the AgroExpo, Dimitris answers that he noticed visitors came to the Hazera booth with knowledge and a clear purpose. “They knew we had a descent solution to the ToBRFV-virus, which means we successfully created awareness and knowledge about the variety with our campaigns. Another highlight was the feedback we got from growers that had already tested our varieties and told us that they are tasteful with very good shelf life”.

Dimitris is very happy to hear that growers are very satisfied with the sellable products they can now produce again, as he knows this hasn’t always been the case since the virus hit. “The last 3 years we have seen a dramatic increase of ToBRFV inflation in many areas. This led to the growers changing their habits: they either stopped growing tomatoes or growing smaller quantities to spread production, alternatively replaced them with other crops. This led to a decrease in tomato production, whilst the demand increased. Especially from May to October, when our population nearly doubles due to tourism.”

Product innovator to market leader

“So, the need for ToBRFV resistant varieties was urgent”, Dimitris continues. “We knew our varieties had good resistance, but we needed to ensure that our plants delivered both quality and quantity of fruits. After testing on a small scale, we moved to larger trials all over Greece last year. And with success, as growers can now produce high quality tomatoes again that are sellable in our market. Our competitors had good varieties as well, but they weren’t suitable for the Greek market. Thus, we have the advantage of being the first to have that optimal balance between production and protection”. Because of this, Dimitris is very optimistic about staying market leader for at least the next year or two. “And we expect to have the seeds and added value to cover all the needs of the market.”

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The drive for high-quality foods that contribute to a healthy lifestyle is stronger than ever. Vegetables are gaining a more prominent role in our diets. At the same time, events such as inflation, the energy and climate crisis and the pandemic have contributed to the strong urge to save money and energy. Even when preparing our meals. The result? Culinary creativity.

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Preparing meals that are healthy for your lifestyle, the planet and your wallet: how do you do it? We take a look at the main trends.

#1 Vegetables in the lead role

Vegetables are increasingly becoming the main player in our meals. For some this means eating vegan or vegetarian, for others it means trying to cut back on their meat consumption. As a result, the demand for plant-based meals continues to grow.

Meals high in vegetables have a smaller carbon footprint and more nutrients, making them more cost-effective and sustainable. Moreover, this trend leads to culinary creativity: how do we create delicious meals around vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cauliflower? Growers love to see their crops become the star of the show!

#2 Vegetables fulfill a high-protein diet

The increasingly conscious approach to our diet also affects what we consider to be “the best source for the protein” we need. Whether for environmental, animal or health reasons, the days when meat was seen as the main source of protein are over. Vegetables such as broccoli are seen as valuable alternatives.

#3 Waste is not on the menu

Perhaps the easiest way to reduce your food costs and footprint: use everything! Food waste is prominent on the agenda of consumers, as well as governments and NGOs. Did you know that according to the UN, about 30% of food produced for human consumption is wasted? This waste of food and money inspires chefs around the world to get creative in using every part of produce. From root to leaf. The more creative you get, the less will end up in the trash – and the more will be left in your wallet.

Contact us!

Clearly, in the quest for a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle, we need to get creative in the kitchen! At Hazera, we keep a close eye on developments in this field and provide our partners with the knowledge, advice and products needed to keep up. Wondering how we can support your business? Then contact us

The Growing Together international open days will take place in Israel on June 5-7. “It’s a unique opportunity to bring everybody together” says Veronica Derby, MarCom Manager at Hazera, and Haggai Breslauer, Sales Manager for Hazera Africa, who walk us through the event, sharing some exciting insights and highlights.

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“It basically is the biggest event we held in recent years”, Veronica says about the Growing Together International open days. “It will bring over 85 customers, partners, and distributors of Hazera together, coming all the way to Israel from Africa, the Balkan region, the Americas, and the CIS-region. But there’s also a part for local Israeli growers”. According to Haggai, the goal is “to display our latest products, strengthen our bonds with clients and partners, and exchange knowledge and priorities between all parties involved. And of course: to have fun!”

What is the main purpose of the event?

Haggai emphasizes that, as the title ‘Growing Together’ suggests, the event will not be one-sided. “It is just as important for our clients to meet us, as it is for us to meet them. Our goal is to improve and grow together. This means not just explaining what we are doing, but also why and how.” To achieve this target, everybody must be looking in the same direction. Veronica: “By coming together we can connect, exchange knowledge about different products and markets, and align our priorities.”

Haggai says this transfer of knowledge is especially relevant for upcoming markets like Africa. “We see ourselves as having a responsibility in developing the agricultural market, not just to sell our products”. Another important goal to Haggai is for clients to meet the people behind the crops. “We want to bring our researchers forward. There’s two sides to that coin: On one side, our researchers can hear from clients first-hand what their needs are. And on the other side, we get to show our clients the hard work our teams deliver and what it takes to breed a good variety.”

What can visitors expect?

“We want our customers to get to know us, just as much as we want to get to know them, therefore we will start off with a few presentations on topics like our R&D and process innovations, ToBRFV-project, and production challenges. Then there’s the touristic part, in which we travel to Jerusalem and show everyone our beautiful country. “The third part is our field day, in which some groups visit a local nursery, a commercial union plot and our tomato greenhouse”, Haggai continues.

“And finally, on the last day of the event we will visit the main exhibition field where we display our products and come back to our Israeli HQ. This will include tours of our phytosanitary lab, our quality control germination and health labs,- as well as our in-house nursery”. For local growers, the Growing Together open days also form a great opportunity. Veronica: “For them, the event lasts 8 to 10 days, in which they can visit our development plot next to the exhibition where we present exciting new material that will soon be commercialized. However, from June 5-7 they have an extra nice opportunity, as they can be exposed to global activity.”

What excites you the most about the Open Days?

“To finally see all of our clients and partners face-to-face together again”, Haggai says. “It’s not often that we can get everybody from across the globe together for a professional event, for some clients it will even be the first time. So, this is a big deal for us. It gives us a chance to get everybody on the same page, strengthen relationships, share new products and developments, and learn from each other”. Haggai says he knows the visitors are very excited about the open days. “But believe me, so are we!”

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In Hazera, we tend to put the spotlight on our successful products, yet their success starts with the People of Hazera: the truly committed and passionate experts who make it all happen on a daily basis. Meet Avi Gabai (65), our Production Research Manager from Herzliya, a city in central Israel. Avi spent more than three decades at Hazera in different roles, directly reflecting the progress and the growth Hazera has achieved during these years.

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Avi has been with Hazera since 1990 in different roles in R&D and the Production departments, and from 2010 he has been managing the research in Production, improving the methods and tools of seed production, bringing innovation and solutions as continuous improvement processes. With his work, Avi helps the production teams improve their production performance for all of the Hazera crops.

“What is a common myth or preconception about your job or field of  expertise?”

“If you will ask the people of Hazera, they would say I’m only dealing with Onions” he says while grinning (which isn’t the case). “When I am talking with people outside Hazera, it always come to this one question: ‘What happened to the taste of tomatoes? Bring it back please’.” Apparently, it’s the most painful subject people relate to.

“In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait/strength someone would need to work in your industry/be successful in your job?”

“In my field at Hazera, I work in collaboration with different groups in production, and it became evident that the most important trait is the ability to ‘recruit’ people to join your cause, and together achieve the goal of improving the production process and consequently- the results. Getting them involved, making them feel this project is really theirs, and beyond. Continuous improvement is a team effort.”

“Tell us about a project you are really proud of and why”

“I am really proud of our joint activity in the start-up incubator with ‘South Up’. Together, we created an accelerator, enabling AG-Tech start-ups to receive help from us, in terms of mentoring, facilities and funds, and in return these start-ups are giving the benefit of new and innovative technologies we can embed into Hazera. Also, their culture of fast and agile work processes can contribute to our culture in Hazera. This is a win-win situation: Hazera can enforce its growth engines with the new technology and they can develop it into something that could be shared with the world and become commercial and profitable.”

“What book or movie you would recommend us and why?”

“Setting all politics aside, I want to recommend a book that I am reading now. It’s called “Who’s Michael?”,  written by Eliezer Shkedy, former chief commander of the Israeli Air Force, and former CEO of El Al. The book contains short stories from his past, showcasing his positive and humane approach to life. He tried to understand the other side above all, although he had some of the most demanding and stressing positions in the army- also true for him as a civilian. The way he followed and listened to his heart, thought about others and not just himself is really impressive and inspirational to me and I try to incorporate this attitude on a daily basis.”

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