“We want to bring excitement to the tomato category,” said Doug Kling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Village Farms. “We want to be unique in bringing an exceptional eating and snacking experience to consumers, and that's the drive of our new tomatoes.”
The Cherry No. 9, which has a name that plays off of the rock and roll hit from 1959, explained Kling, invites consumers to fall in love again with tomatoes. “It's a little tomato that has a burst of sweet flavor when you bite into it,” said Kling.
Though with a different profile, the Cabernet Estate Reserve also packs a lot of flavor. The dark, crispy and sweet tomato is marketed as a unique high quality standard tomato, and both it and the Cherry No. 9 can be used in many ways. “Both tomatoes are over the top,” said Debi Street of Village Farms. “Both are versatile, so they are excellent on the vine, both are impeccable in salads, they both have beautiful colors, and they're both great as snacks or when used during cooking.”
True Rebel Mix
Village Farms is also marketing a variety pack of their most successful new varieties. The True Rebel mix gives consumers a chance to sample a wide range of tastes. The thing that ties all of the tomatoes together, again, is a strong flavor profile, stated Kling.
“If you walk into a supermarket in North America, there is a sea of red where the tomatoes are,” said Street. “Our tomatoes stand out with their shapes, colors and sizes.”
“Consumers want what they know,” added Kling. “But they also want to experiment and try new things. With the True Rebel pack, they can do that.”
Strong Partnerships
The collaboration with Axia Vegetable Seeds has been official since February, but Village Farms is already seeing the benefits through the Cabernet Estate Reserve. Axia is a unique seed grower and this unique partnership helps Village Farms in distinguishing themselves with unique products.
"The collaboration with Gautier on the variety used in Cherry # 9, has also been exceptional in developing attributes that strengthen our mutual position for growth in the North American markets," concludes Kling.
For more information:
Doug Kling
Village Farms
[email protected]
www.villagefarms.com