Monthly Archives: May 2016

Riverford rebrands

Leading organic producer and box supplier Riverford has unveiled a new logo and branding which it says underlines its passion and expertise in vegetables.

The new look, which will be found across the company and its franchisees on boxes, as well as delivery vans and the company’s website features colourful hand drawn vegetables and a black carrot silhouette. It is also using the tagline and social media hashtag ‘Live Life on the Veg.’. It worked with design agency Big Fish to achieve a look which would tell the Riverford story while engaging with customers.

Riverford’s Brand & Communications Manager, Vitha Powell explained, “We want to show the world we’re mad about – and experts in – veg.  We want to put our authority about veg back at the heart of our business and think this new look and refocusing on veg will help us reach as many like-minded people as possible.”

She added, “The carrot is a distinctive, memorable shape that helps us communicate who we are and what we do. We have also changed our name very slightly from Riverford Organic Farms to Riverford Organic Farmers, to celebrate the fact that we are an independent, personal business and farmers at heart.”

Photo Credit: Riverford Organic Farmers

The post Riverford rebrands appeared first on Hort News on 22 April 2016.

KWS sells potato business

KWS which is best known as a breeder and supplier of arable crop seeds has announced that it will sell its conventional seed potato business to Stet Holland B.V.

The business was formed in 2011 after KWS took over the business of Van Rijn, with who it had been working with for a number of years. Both companies are based at Emmeloord and the sale includes processing, crisping and table varieties. KWS will continue to operate in hybrid and novel potato breeding techniques.

“The future owner Stet Holland is positioned for a successful continuation of our conventional potato business while KWS will fully focus its efforts in potato utilizing its resources and know-how as a breeder to develop hybrid varieties,” commented Peter Hofmann, of KWS SAAT SE. “Hybrid breeding in potato and multiplication via seed instead of tubers is an entirely new but highly promising approach that has considerable advantages compared to conventional breeding. We have been working in this innovative field since 2011 and have achieved significant progress in the meantime.”

Peter Ton, General Manager of Stet Holland added, “KWS’ seed potato business is an excellent fit for Stet as the markets for the current KWS and Stet varieties are very complementary to each other. Taking over KWS’ variety portfolio, seed potato production, and sales channels will enable us to create synergies and gain presence in key markets and specific processing segments. KWS’ varieties, breeding material and expert employees, combined with a good customer base, will help us to strengthen Stet’s position in the seed potato market.”

Photo Credit: KWS

The post KWS sells potato business appeared first on Hort News on 15 April 2016.

Defra refuses to back EU school scheme

According to a report, British ministers in Brussels failed to back EU plans to engage with children by encouraging farm visits and eating more fruit and vegetables.

Farmers Weekly said that the UK had abstained from the vote while delegates from Hungary and The Netherlands had voted against the proposals which would also promote the consumption of milk and which were passed at the meeting on 11 April.

The new scheme will have an annual budget of €250 million (£201 million) when it comes into force in August 2017 and will see selected agricultural products supplied to schools in a bid to promote healthy eating habits and local food.

The post Defra refuses to back EU school scheme appeared first on Hort News on 15 April 2016.

Tesco to sell wonky fruit as well as veg

According to reports, Tesco is to widen its specifications for certain fruit lines after successfully trialling ‘wonky veg’ in its potato and parsnip lines.

The retailer said that it had worked with its suppliers to extend its retail specifications so that it could sell Class II apples and strawberries to its customers at value prices. It added this meant that it would sell 95 per cent of its supplier’s strawberries and 97 per cent of their British apples.

Matt Simister, commercial director for fresh food and commodities at Tesco, told the Fresh Produce Journal, “The work doesn’t stop here though. We have experienced high levels of waste in-store on the parsnips in particular, and therefore need to continually develop our specifications so that we minimise the food that is wasted in any part of the chain.

“We’ve already facilitated the up-take of 35 tonnes per week from our potato partner Branston into our ready meals partner Samworth Brothers, and we’re hopeful that the establishing of a juicing relationship with Scripps, our key grower of British apples, will utilise the remaining two per cent of the edible crop.”

Photo Caption: Tesco says it will now sell 97 per cent of the British apples grown for it.

Photo Credit: Tesco

The post Tesco to sell wonky fruit as well as veg appeared first on Hort News on 15 April.