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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Hazera’s Long Cucumber breeding program, initiated around ten years ago, is still relatively new. This makes it even more impressive that at such an early stage of the program, our team was able to breed ZiMMan, a variety that responds exceptionally well to new environmental stress factors like climate change, water salinization, and new plant viruses.

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In the ever-evolving field of agriculture, with increased environmental challenges, Hazera needs to produce versatile varieties. ZiMMan is the first variety developed with this in mind. It is a notable addition to the Hazera cucumber portfolio, designed to tackle these challenges, with a main focus on fighting against the new plant viruses, especially CGMMV.

ZiMMan was launched in Spain, a key market for Long Cucumbers. But its adaptability to thrive under hot conditions, high yield, and comprehensive set of resistances (CYSDV, CVYV, CGMMV, Px) make ZiMMan a resilient and reliable choice for growers worldwide.

“The team started to develop ZiMMan around four years ago and within its first commercial year, ZiMMan achieved a 10% market share of the Spanish market in seed quantity. I’m impressed and proud of the team that they were able to achieve this level of success in such a short time with our cucumber breeding.” – Federico Puyo, Product Manager for Long Cucumber.

Moreover, ZiMMan showcases Hazera’s commitment to innovation and excellence, offering several key characteristics that ensure its adaptability to diverse growing conditions and environmental stresses:
Strong Root System: Ensures the plant’s resilience and ability to withstand stress.
Dark Fruit Colour: Indicates a healthy and visually appealing crop.
Plant Structure: Promotes optimal growth and productivity.

With investing the expertise of its team, Hazera is on a journey towards cultivating stronger and more resilient cucumber varieties.

Would you like to learn more about ZiMMan or our cucumber breeding program? 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.

Hazera has recently acquired a new high-tech greenhouse next to our headquarters in Made, the Netherlands. According to Yossi Shapiro, Head of R&D, this acquisition marks a significant step in Hazera’s journey to establish a strong position in the high-tech greenhouse tomato industry. He gives insight into the acquisition process, goals in research and development, and what Hazera can offer to the high-tech tomato market.

“Our goal to establish ourselves as one of the leaders in the high-tech tomato market with our mid- to long-term plan, as there is strong competition there”, Yossi says. “This goal was the primary motivation to invest in a state-of-the-art active tomato greenhouse, as you need the best facilities to compete with the best.” Hazera is empowering its tomato portfolio worldwide through the new high-tech tomato project with the strong support of Limagrain’s vegetable seed division. As the largest company in the vegetable seed industry, Limagrain Group has significantly invested in this project.

Backyard transformation
Yossi says multiple options were considered, such as renovating existing facilities or building a greenhouse from scratch. “But the answer was right in our own backyard: to buy an industry-grade, commercial greenhouse operation, that we can readily transform into a research facility with the help of our experts.” André van Zeijl, the previous owner of the greenhouse, has been an independent grower for over 25 years.
He has a lot of experience and will support the transition to a research facility.

With advanced technology and a focus on producing clean seeds through good seed and plant practices (GSPP), Hazera aims to elevate its research capabilities. Another important advantage of acquiring an existing facility, is sustainability. Re-purposing the greenhouse in Made, rather than building a new one, suits Hazera’s strategy of caring for the planet that helps us grow extraordinary seeds. We take our responsibility for the environment very seriously. Hazera has a lot of know-how and experience in breeding high-quality varieties that can be grown with reduced input. It’s great to see that a company like Hazera has such a strong focus on sustainability.

Experts in resistance, yield and taste
When talking about Hazera’s position in the high-tech tomato market, Yossi notes that “We also bring something very valuable to the table: our expertise in developing tomato varieties with strong resistance to diseases, particularly in response to ToBRFV, combined with excellent yield and taste. This can really equip growers to manage their biggest challenges. A great example of this is Pendragon, one of the ToBRFV-resistant varieties that we’ll be growing in the greenhouse. In addition, this greenhouse provides us with the opportunity to further improve yield, fruit quality, and commercial appeal of those varieties, and to implement the innovative techniques and technologies which will increase our efficiency, enhance the R&D outcomes, and accelerate time to market.”

“The Netherlands is the birthplace and center of the global high-tech tomato industry, so it is a natural location for us to launch this program”, Yossi continues. “But the goal of all our efforts is to develop hybrid high-tech tomato varieties to meet the evolving needs of our grower customers, wherever they may be, so they can serve the needs of their customers. When consumers are enjoying tasty and healthfully tomatoes grown from our seeds, we can say that we’ve been successful in our mission.”

A vision for tomorrow
“The heightened level of control and optimization in the high-tech greenhouse environment ensures that we can replicate production conditions under which we want to evaluate the varieties we are developing and advancing. That way, we aim to bring innovation and improvement to high-tech tomato markets around the world.”
“By combining our new active greenhouse research facility in Made, the expertise we have in developing leading tomato varieties, and our experience in customer engagement, we expect to play an important role in the high-tech tomato industry”, Yossi concludes. “There’s an exciting opportunity to grow this part of our business, and it starts with R&D.

Want to know more about our business?

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!

 

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 focusses 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.”

Staay Food Group B.V. Mark Loojenga Marketing Manager +31 6 13 80 89 81 mark.loojenga@staay.nl www.staay.nl

Hazera Seeds B.V. Rosaline Hazenbroek Marcom Specialist +31 6 28 09 60 68 rosaline.hazenbroek@hazera.com www.hazera.com

Staay Food Group is an international cultivation, sales and marketing organization in fresh fruit and vegetables with a global network; The World is our Garden. Staay Food Group is a family business, founded in 1946. It delivers tailor-made products to customers in retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing.

HAZERA: Growing Together
Hazera’s headquarters are situated in Israel and The Netherlands, with subsidiaries in twelve countries and an extensive distribution network providing services in over 100 additional markets. This worldwide presence enables us to be close to our customers.
Hazera is part of the Limagrain Group, an international agri-business based in France. Being a farmers’ cooperative, the Limagrain Group understands the needs of its customers and has grown to become the largest seed company in Europe, specialising in vegetables, field crops and cereal products. Limagrain’s vegetable seed division is the second largest company in the industry.

UPDATE 07/12/23

Colleagues from Hazera UK joined the Veg Power Team on 8^th June 2023 to help the children of Birchwood Junior School in Lincoln with the next exciting stage of their ‘GROWING TO LOVE’ tomato project.

It was time to re-pot the tomato seedlings that the children had raised and looked after so carefully since sowing them in April, and they were thrilled to show us what they had achieved, all perfectly captured by the Veg Power camera crew!

With much enjoyment and enthusiasm, involving compost, pots, labels and plenty of water, the children were justly proud and happy to have prepared their plants to take home for nurturing over the summer holidays. We are sure you will see their joy and delight in the attached photographs!

We hope to have the opportunity to re-visit the school in September to witness the final chapter –
The Tomato Harvest!

(Original article below)

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Hazera UK are delighted to be full members of the UK Veg Power Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation encouraging children to eat more vegetables. It has been shown that 80% of UK children are not eating enough vegetables, with one third eating less than one portion a day. Veg Power has introduced several initiatives to inspire children, and their parents, to include more vegetables as a fundamental part of their everyday diet.

Providing educational packs

One of the Veg Power initiatives for 2023 is to provide educational packs to schools across the country to link with the ‘EAT THEM TO DEFEAT THEM’ TV advertising campaign. The packs will be sent to 15 schools in the area around the Hazera UK Head Office, supported by our membership of the Alliance. We believe providing the packs to local schools will not only encourage the health and nutrition of local children but also promote the Hazera brand more widely.

Growing to Love

Hazera UK will also support the participation of local schools in another Veg Power initiative, ‘GROWING TO LOVE’. Most children are enthused by planting a tiny seed, nurturing it, and watching it grow, indeed, research has shown children are more likely to try the food they have grown themselves. The ‘GROWING TO LOVE’ project involves children sowing and raising tomato plants during the summer, and then using the fruits in cooking sessions at the conclusion of the project. In partnership with Veg Power, Hazera UK has agreed to fund ten classes of thirty children in local schools, providing each child with a Hazera-branded tomato growing kit. We will have the opportunity to take part in the fun by joining the Veg Power Team on two fully managed school visits: one for planting and one for repotting.

 

Explaining the journey from ‘field to fork’

With many children, especially those living in more urban environments, being unaware of the origin of their foods, this campaign and these visits will enable Hazera UK to explain the journey from ‘field to fork’ of vegetable production. This has the potential to expand knowledge and understanding of horticulture in the environment, and to also impart an appreciation of outdoor activities to improve health and wellbeing.

CSR commitments

Hazera UK absolutely endorses the ambitions and goals of this exciting project and is keen to play an active role. We are proud to be associated with our local community, whilst contributing to our CSR commitments. We look forward to the various activities and will provide you with updates showing the progress of our involvement throughout the summer months.

Please visit this link for more information on ‘GROWING TO LOVE’ and other exciting campaigns run by the Veg Power Team.

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!”

Want to know more about our business?

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!

 

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.”

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 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.”

Want to know more about our business?

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!

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.”

Want to know more about our 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!

August 2022

 Since 19th May 2022, Ofer Peleg has been the new Deputy CEO of Hazera. He leads Sales, Supply Chain, IT and Production. Ofer says: “We have great DNA in Hazera, but also opportunities and potential to become a well-integrated company and realise solid and robust processes”.

Ofer, fifty years old, lives near Tel Aviv, with his wife and three children, aged 21, 18 and 13. He used to work for several leading companies in multicultural and dynamic environments. “I started as an Industrial Engineer in the Pharmaceutical Industry where I stayed for about twenty years. At Teva Pharmaceuticals, the Israeli global generic leader, I served in various positions in both R&D and Operations, where my last role was to manage three large facilities in Europe. For that role, I moved with my family to Amsterdam for two years. After that I became Vice-President of the Global supply chain at Sun Pharmaceuticals, a global Indian Pharmaceutical company. In the last four years I was the vice-president of the Global supply chain at Netafim, a global leader in precision irrigation. At Netafim, I focused on the same customers and ambition as Hazera; helping farmers to get the best out of their crops for both quantity and quality.”

Go the extra mile
“I was given a very warm welcome, both at Hazera and Limagrain. There is a strong sense of partnership and the people I have met enjoy their profession and are very enthusiastic, willing to go above and beyond to serve our customers. They know that by doing so, they are making the world a better place. Shortly after I started at Hazera, I was lucky to meet many of my colleagues at the annual Limagrain conference in Prague.

Marathon run
“I have started to learn that there is a huge know-how and great professionalism here”, says Ofer, “but our competitors are not waiting for us, and we have to be agile, flexible and focused on quality. We can’t stop, not even for a minute; we are running a marathon and we want to finish first. There is also an opportunity for becoming a well-integrated company and realising solid and robust processes.”

Way of working
“We produce seeds all over the world. How can we do this as efficiently as possible? What is our optimal footprint? How do we optimize our inventory?  How can we leverage our capabilities?  In my former positions I have helped answering similar kinds of questions. I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and contributing to Hazera.”

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In recent years we have witnessed various trends in the consumption of vegetables and fruits.
One of the most notable trends is in the watermelon category.

Not inconvenient anymore
Watermelon was long perceived as inconvenient. Especially with decreasing households, watermelons were found too big, giving too much waste and too heavy to carry. Also the lack of good taste and quality was a reason for people to buy other fruits. With the introduction of the high quality, high tasting seedless mini and midi watermelons, consumption is increasing rapidly, in some countries over 10% in the last 5 years. Watermelons are used as a healthy snack, during dinner or lunch or as refreshing drink.

3rd choice of consumers
Watermelon is gaining popularity worldwide staying in the top 5 of fresh consumed fruits globally. In the European Union watermelon is the 3rd choice of consumers as refreshment after apples and oranges. In USA watermelon is 3rd choice after bananas and apples. With the COVID pandemic people started to focus even more on health. Another push forward for watermelon consumption.

Yearround offering
Hazera’s global experience in the watermelon industry provides solutions that fit the needs of all partners in the fresh chain now and in the future through close collaboration. Due to our intensive breeding efforts we are able to offer year round, high quality, high tasting watermelons.

New launches in Spain
Hazera launched 3 new seedless watermelon varieties in Murcia, Spain targeted for the South European watermelon producers:
• Margay, a uniform, crunchy, great tasting midi watermelon with great feedback from Spanish retailers targeting 2 categories at the same time: fresh cut & fresh.
In the mini seedless category 2 novelties were highlighted for the Spanish production:
• 50037 a mini of 1.3-2.1 kg featuring excellent crunch and taste which was very well appreciated by retailers.
• Latest newcomer 50041 a nice, red round watermelon with excellent shelf life capacity is showing good results in both indoor in Almeria as well as the open field in Murcia.

Looking for more insights? Or curious on the solutions we can offer?
Contact us. We are happy to meet.

Mark van der Zouwen
Cucurbits Global Product Manager
Mark.van.der.zouwen@hazera.com

Arjan van Steekelenburg
Chain Manager Fresh Produce
Arjan.van.steekelenburg@hazera.com

Yoav Levy
Cucurbits Regional Product Manager
Yoav.levy@hazera.com

 

Hazera has been developing and selling primed onion seeds since 2009. This experience translates into the market as the share of primed seeds is increasing. Many growers are discovering the benefits. Primed seeds can ensure faster crop development after sowing, more uniformity in the crop and final product and better quality onions. That is why it is also interesting for you.

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Our dedicated High Tech tomato team started the preparations for our tomato demo at the Delphy Improvement Center in Bleiswijk.
The team, consisting of motivated colleagues from R&D to Commercial and Marketing planted a wide range of our newest hybrids in our screening and demo greenhouse. In this demo all important segments of the tomato category are present, like large loose, truss (large & medium) and Cherry (round & plum).

Partnerships
During the season our team is monitoring the new tomato varieties very closely.  Based upon all obtained insights and knowledge the best performing varieties, this can be on e.g. taste or yield, are selected. The information that we gather during the season is used to support and inform our partners all along the tomato value chain. Because together we grow the tomatoes of the future.

Highlights
Over the last years Hazera has worked passionately to develop tasty tomatoes with benefits for the full produce chain. We are convinced that this year, again, we have a compartment full of exciting new varieties. This year we decided to expand our ‘high taste’ acreage in our greenhouse by 20%.
On display you will also find some highlights that are monitored for several years and which we are thrilled about. We are happy to present you the following great tasting varieties:

Camelot
Camelot is a cherry plum variety (12-15 gr) which is very succesfull in Spain and Morocco.
This variety is the only variety which ripens to full red on the plant. In our HT demo we are doing agronomy trials to adapt for the High-Tech segment. Camelot has a high yield potential and has an excellent post-harvest quality, even up to 20 days and has very low waste percentages. The flavour, shape and colors are comparable with the benchmark in this segment.

Sensera
A medium, great tasting, truss variety with an average weight of 95-110 grams.
The Sensera truss is best presented as a 6-pack and has a perfect on the shelve performance because of the firm green part which can also act as a natural handle. In consumer evaluations this variety scores very high on perceived freshness and buying intent. Even after 8 – 10 days.

Goutine
This large specialty tomato is known for its stunning and vintage taste experience.
The variety has an average fruit weight of 90-120 grams and is grown (and already famous) in multiple places around Europe.

Summersun
Summersun is known to be the best tasting yellow cherry tomato in the market and has an average fruit weight of 10-12 grams. This tomato has a big entourage of enthusiastic partners along the chain; the tomato that puts a smile on the consumers face.

Curious?
Curious about our varieties? Or other solutions we can offer?

Your invited to meet the team in our taste experience center @Delphy Improvement Center in Bleiswijk. In our mini supermarket you can taste the highlights and we can discuss our full program. Data performance is available.

Only together good tasting tomatoes and  on-the–shelve concepts can grow into lasting partnerships.

We are happy to contact you for an appointment from April onwards. If you can’t wait, please contact our team.

Marcel van Kester: marcelvan.kester@hazera.com 
Karel Welten: karel.welten@hazera.com 
Arjan van Steekelenburg: arjan.van.steekelenburg@hazera.com
Robbert Biemans: robbert.biemans@hazera.com