Growth demands knowledge. That is why Bayer started the Foundation Ambassadors Group, a platform for knowledge interchange between growers of the Nunhems tomato variety Foundation. Participants are growers Bart and Roel de Bakker (De Bakker Westland, Netherlands),Tom Vlaeminck (Tomato Masters, Belgium) and Julien Stoll (Stoll Frères, Switzerland). Veronique Savelkoul, account manager of Bayer: “The growers are active in totally different markets, but they are bonded by their innovative, market oriented approach.”
“Thorough knowledge is essential,” according to Julien Stoll of Stoll Frères.
“I want perfect quality tomatoes. A thorough knowledge is essential for that,” says Julien Stoll, manager of Stoll Frères. He was approached by Bayer to join the Foundation Ambassadors Group. Since then he has been in close contact with Bayer and his Flemish and Dutch colleague growers.
The Foundation Ambassadors Group’s members weekly compare their crop and product data over the internet, and discuss this in the joint WhatsApp group. Stoll: “Within our company we record the most important cultivation data, such as working hours per hectare, flowering rate, the number of kilograms and the use of, among other things, gas and water. It is very interesting to be able to compare that data with that of other growers, and to be able to discuss with other growers about, for example, sales, marketing and image.”
Besides, with some regularity they also visit each other’s companies. For example, Stoll recently received his colleague growers at his company in the Swiss Yverdon-les-Bains. Stoll: “We, as growers, are not each other’s direct competition. We can therefore talk quite openly with each other about topics including operational management and cultivation techniques.”
Members of the Foundation Ambassadors Group visit each other’s companies.
Serious and dedicated
Stoll Frères has a total cultivation acreage of about 400 hectares. A complete vegetable assortment is cultivated on that, including the Nunhems vine tomato variety Foundation. The Swiss market is almost completely self-supporting. A situation, therefore, that can hardly be compared to the open market in the Netherlands or the position of the auctions in Belgium.
Precisely those differences ensure a thorough interchange of knowledge, according to Stoll. “You therefore look even more critically to your own production and sales methods. Our aim is a product of the highest quality, good returns and an efficient process. The growers of the Foundation Ambassadors Group are serious, dedicated and able to thoroughly discuss such issues.”
Stoll is pleased Bayer introduced him to his foreign colleague growers. “Bayer is very involved and puts a lot of time in bringing together growers. That is very nice, because we are often busy with our work. Bayer is clearly not just interested in selling seeds; they want to help growers with their knowledge. I have not seen this level of support with any other seed company up till now. To be honest, this cooperation exceeds all my expectations.''
Greenhouse of Stoll Production SA in which the Nunhems vine tomato variety Foundation is cultivated.
Seeds and brainware
The three growers of the Foundation Ambassadors Group are the absolute best in the field of the vine tomato middle segment, says account manager Harm Ammerlaan of Bayer. “They choose the best flavour and an innovative market approach. With initiatives such as the Foundation Ambassadors Group we help growers achieve higher returns, by offering knowledge interchange and by actively participating in that interchange. For Bayer knows you can only get the most from the seeds with the right knowledge. And, of course, we take the feedback into our breeding work. We call that the right ‘brainware’: knowledge that helps you to perform even better.”For more information:
Bayer
Veronique Savelkoul
Tel.: +32 471 25 23 03
veronique.savelkoul@bayer.com
Jan Hanemaaijer
Tel.: +31 6 2860 8990
jan.hanemaaijer@bayer.com
Harm Ammerlaan
Tel.: +31 6 3495 9057
harm.ammerlaan@bayer.com
www.nunhems.nl