Breeding for ready-to-use products

摘要

The trend towards convenience products and the processors' desire for tasty, novel, ready prepared salads and vegetables poses challenges for breeders and opportunities for growers. "We expect that in five years time 40-50 % of all salads and vegetables will be sold to consumers in a processed way.Therefore we are absolutely convinced that the processing/convenience market will have a big impact on breeding companies. If breeders don't adapt their breeding programme they will miss the market in 5-10years time," says Jan Doldersum, Convenience Mariket Specialist for Rijk Zwaan. In general, the market for ready to use salads and vegetables is growing at 10-20 % per year depending on country and company. For example, Florette, one of Europe's largestsuppliers of ready to use salads and vegetables is expecting a 20% growth over ten countries this year and has set aside 30 million EUR for investment as part of its strategy to double turnover in five years Its turnover last year was 273 million EUR. The company prides itself on innovation and 20% of last year's turnover was from products launched less than three years ago It has a product range of 220 and plans to launch 60 new products this year.