Grower Veganis teams with an Austrian retailer to bring the pepper to the latter’s premium organic range
Rijk Zwaan has said that Austrian consumers can now enjoy organically grown Tatayoyo snack peppers year-round.
According to the vegetable seed company, grower Veganis and an Austrian retailer were so impressed by the award-winning pepper that they recently joined forces to add it to the retailer’s premium organic range.
The winner of the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2023, the pepper caught the attention of Rijk Zwaan’s chain partners in Austria – a leading country when it comes to organic popularity.
“Domestically grown, organically grown and flavour are key sales drivers in the Austrian market,” explained Gregor Hoffmann, client manager at Rijk Zwaan. ”By combining all three, Tatayoyo is a truly premium product.”
Rijk Zwaan conducted joint trials with Veganis, an Austrian production and trading company for high-quality organic fruit and vegetables.
“During the first year of trials, we confirmed that the Mitayo RZ variety – the first cultivar in the Tatayoyo range – has enormous growth potential and resilience,” he continued.
”Eastern Austria is the best place to grow an innovative pepper like this, both climate-wise and market-wise.”
In the summer of 2024, Tatayoyo was trialled in the retailer’s flagships stores.
“After this smooth rollout, we were asked to offer this unique pepper all year round,” Hoffmann explained. ”We connected with our Spanish and Greek colleagues to help Veganis organise the winter 2024/25 production.
“Bio Alagorrobo supplied Tatayoyo from Spain, while Bio Kapos – who was already a good partner of Veganis – was the supplier from Greece.
”By working closely together, we have learned a lot – such as that Tatayoyo needs enough sunlight to develop its unique flavour,” he noted.
This spring, Veganis will take over production again. Tatayoyo will be cultivated in the company’s new, state-of-the-art 3.5ha greenhouse, where it also grows Rijk Zwaan’s sweet pointed pepper Sweet Palermo organically.
“Mitayo RZ was planted in February,” Hoffmann outlined. ”We are very excited that Tatayoyo will be available in Austrian stores from May onwards.”
The company said that organically grown Tatayoyo has secured a strong position in the premium organic category in a short space of time – primarily thanks to the close collaboration between the retailer, the growers and Rijk Zwaan Welver.
Hoffmann said he will keep an eye on Tatayoyo’s success from a distance from now on, as he has moved into a new role outside of Rijk Zwaan.
“I look back on eight great years, during which I had lots of opportunities to express my creativity and collaborate closely – such as on the introduction of BlueLeaf cucumbers in several countries, finding the trait for Cucurbit Aphid-Borne Yellow Virus (CABYV) resistance, and the introduction of the Reddery RZ and Hyrule RZ tomatoes, which were also in the organic sector,” he said.
”What we have achieved with Tatayoyo allows me to end my time at Rijk Zwaan on a proud note.”
