UK vegetable seed company CN Seeds will be introducing new varieties of herbs and an innovative range of mini vegetables, among a range of new products at the forthcoming Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin, Germany, which will be staged from 4-6 February 2015.
The firm will be using its appearance at the fresh produce event to introduce new varieties of herbs from it’s breeding programmes, including new developments in parsley, coriander and basil.
Another interesting trend expected to feature at Fruit Logistica is mini vegetables, and CN Seeds will be highlighting Cauliflower Orkney and Kohlrabi Kref, which are already performing well in major markets.
CN Seeds will also be showcasing its range of oriental vegetables, including Pak Choi, which are becoming increasingly mainstream, while some of the more exotic species such as Kailan are also attracting attention, with new hybrid variety F1 Rafiki setting the quality standard.
CN Seeds has been a regular exhibitor at Fruit Logistica over the past eight years, and business development manager Charles Seddon said the company was looking forward to greeting customers old and new.
“We were very much UK pioneers in our early days at the show, when there was only a handful of other British exhibitors, but we found it a great forum for discussion with a very wide cross section of growers and buyers from all over the world, and it has been an important factor in developing our export business,' he said.
Although fruits of all kinds still dominate in many of the halls, vegetables and salads now have a very strong presence and the event gives CN Seeds the opportunity to explore trends and test the reaction to new products, said Seddon.
He added: “This show will see our biggest presence to date, with five staff to man the stand, and a translator for our French and Spanish customers. We find that more British growers are visiting Berlin every year so the show is also very convenient to meet with our core domestic market customers.”
New varieties
Among the products on show at the CN Seeds stand will be the new oriental vegetable varieties, Pak choi Chifu F1 and Choy sum Gunsho, which are already strong sellers and are experiencing increasing demand year on year.
In the babyleaf category, CN Seeds has introduced the wild rocket Monza, a quick growing variety that combines uniformity with an upright habit and dark green leaf, which has adapted very well to winter growing conditions in key southern European markets.
Coriander Cruiser, a new slow bolting Coriander for the quality market has also performed well in 2014. The herb boasts a compact habit with large leaves and vibrant dark green colour, and is now protected by Plant Breeders Rights. Parsley CN 5403 and Dill CN 7006 are also expected to attract attention.
CN Seeds will also be using the trade fair to highlight its range of winter squash and Halloween pumpkins. Demand in both sectors is diversifying as the market increases, and CN Seeds is keen to develop new material to offer consumers a wider choice.
