At the recent Fruit Logistica, Coöperatie Hoogstraten unveiled its new brand, Frieda, cultivated by Tomeco growers, to the trade show crowd. These partners want to give these flavorful mini plum cherry tomatoes a fresh, distinct identity. "Often, consumers see small red tomatoes as small red tomatoes. But there's a lot of difference between the varieties. We want to highlight that with this unique design," begins Tom Verdonck from Tomeco.
Tomeco and Coöperatie Hoogstraten have done this before with Thomasso tomatoes. Now, however, the goal is to bring these tomatoes' characteristics - they are highly suited to tapas and other fun preparations - to the attention of the masses. "People don't always understand how the many tomatoes differ, usage and flavor-wise, while that significantly impacts purchasing, especially repeat purchasing. That led us to differentiate Frieda with a design featuring its own brand colors. With its striking blue and yellow hues, we're trying to evoke a bit of the South/Latin American feel. A few people at the trade show immediately thought of Frida Kahlo. I think that perfectly represents the direction we want to take."
The main reason for this introduction is to create a clear, distinct identity for this Tomeco variety in Coöperatie Hoogstraten's assortment. "We're not necessarily trying to create uniformity, but rather to bring out this tomato's specific traits or character. Not every tomato will receive the same branding. People at the fair were eagerly awaiting the Thomasso's arrival, which we'll start with from week 13, and thanks to valuable feedback there, we can now also fine-tune Frieda," says Tom.
With these Frieda tomatoes, they are particularly seeking to find adventure. "We're paving a way to communicate the moment of use. With Frieda, you have a delicious tapas tomato that lends itself to trying different things. Naturally, you can eat them as snack tomatoes, but they're actually just a bit too big for that. They fall just outside the snack segment, which invites looking at other ways of use. Think about grilling, flambéeing, or even making jams. It's a fresh-sweet tomato in its own right, which received many positive responses at Fruit Logistica."
"In Belgium, people might not switch to the Frieda packaging so quickly. Of course, we'll keep supplying them under private labels where there's demand. However, we export across Europe. We want to reach customers we haven't yet by offering them packaging that isn't necessarily private label but that they can showcase at, for example, trade shows. At the recent fair, there was clear interest, and we got feedback from all over Europe. Now, the task is to develop this further," concludes Tom.
For more information:
Tom Verdonck
Tomeco
tom.verdonck@tomeco.be
www.feelgoodtomatoes.com
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
59 Loenhoutseweg
2320, Hoogstraten, BE
Tel.: +32 (0) 33 40 02 11
info@hoogstraten.eu
www.hoogstraten.eu