Action Pearl Growers (APG), a group of 10 Dutch tomato and pepper producers, won an innovation award at AGF Totaal for its Pick-a-tom product, the latest addition to the "living" products portfolio.
A new concept consisting of a tomato plant approximately 40 cm high and planted in a 14 cm pot, each Pick-a-tom plant is capable of producing 40-50 tomatoes the consumer would then pick. The plant can be placed on the windowsill, used as a patio plant or planted in the garden. The plants are supplied with the first truss of tomatoes already ripe.
The fruit is the size of cherry tomatoes. and can be eaten as a snack or in salads.
Pick-a-tom also offers educational opportunities, both in school and at home, as children can be encouraged to grow their own. An educational website is being created - www.pluktomaatje.nl - Pick-a-tom plants also come with full-colour leaflet with growing and culinary tips in four languages.
Pick-a-tom has already been marketed through UK garden centres, but APG believes there is potential to extend the product into supermarket chains.
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