AH Snack Vegetable Radish Mix named as one of the products of the year in the Dutch Consumer Election
Hazera has revealed that the Nederlandse Consumentenverkiezing (Dutch Consumer Election) has recognised the AH Snack Vegetable Radish Mix as one of its products of the year for 2023/24.
The group produces and breeds the radish seeds for the product, which was named Best Product of the Year in the potatoes, vegetables, and fruit category.
Dirk-Jan Polak, crop specialist for radishes, lamb’s lettuce, and baby carrots at Hazera, said the award was a compliment for the entire chain behind the product and championed the success of its genetic makeup.
“This ensures that we can continuously deliver high-quality seeds, allowing the grower to produce an excellent final product,” he explained. ”Our radishes are beautifully round, have good internal quality, and grow very consistently during different seasons and weather conditions.
“Credit for this goes to the breeders,” Polak noted. “Through continuous development, we have been able to introduce distinctive radish varieties to the market.”
In addition to genetics and seed quality, the ability to produce radishes in various colours also made a difference, he said.
“Purpella F1 and Whitella F1, purple and white radishes respectively, are the only two coloured radish varieties cultivated on a serious scale,” Polak outlined. ”And they come from Hazera.”
Combined with red radishes, these coloured varieties form the AH Snack Mix.
“The mix of various coloured radishes, sold in top seal packaging, aligns with the growing demand for snack vegetables,” said Ad Coolbergen, managing director of Ortolanda.
“We always keep the consumer in mind, on whose plate our product ultimately ends up,” said Polak. ”That’s why the collaboration throughout the chain is so important.”
This is in reference to the cooperation between Hazera, Ortolanda, Bakker Barendrecht and Albert Heijn, from which the award-winning radish mix originated.
“Breeding, developing, growing, and marketing these types of products requires craftsmanship,” Coolbergen emphasised.
“The successful introduction of a new product in the market requires good chain collaboration, where everyone is on the same page. This way, we can collectively meet the market’s needs and respond to consumer trends.”
The product mix tapped into the healthy snacking trend, Polak confirmed, with consumers increasingly opting for vegetables and fruits over of sweets or crisps.
He added that he was optimistic about the future, both in terms of the product and collaboration within the chain.
“Radish is a beautiful vegetable that helps people make healthier choices. The fact that the AH Snack Vegetable Radish Mix has been chosen as the best product is a recognition that, with our breeders and partners, we are on the right path and an encouragement to continue the constant development of such products.”
