“A high-resistance tomato supports a reliable solution for both the grower and the supply chain"

Red Sun Farms, one of the largest high-tech greenhouse operations in North America, has found a reliable solution in the cocktail tomato Rexoso RZ, which is available under Rijk Zwaan's Rugose Defense label. "The crop has demonstrated remarkable performance in our state-of-the-art greenhouses. Thanks to this highly ToBRFV-resistant tomato, our customers can expect consistency in the general product quality," states Harold Paivarinta, Senior Director of Sales.

Harold is passionate about delivering the freshest quality and flavour to partners, and ensuring consumers have access to nutritious tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers all year round. "Red Sun Farms owns and operates 338 hectares of farms in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Our vertical integration closes the gap between grower, retailer and consumer. Consumers can rely on our brands, which represent stability and innovation in the greenhouse industry," he explains.

Because stability is one of the core qualities of the brands, growing varieties with high resistance to Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is very important to protect production and avoid economic losses. Harold: "A high-resistance tomato like Rexoso RZ supports a reliable solution for both the grower and the supply chain. That is why we have been using Rexoso RZ at our Mexican farms since 2021. Based on the initial positive results measured by the team, we decided to begin commercial production for the 2022-2023 cycle."

The Red Sun Farms growers have given very positive feedback about Rexoso RZ, says the Senior Director of Sales. "The Rexoso crop has demonstrated remarkable performance in our state-of-the-art greenhouses. Even at the conclusion of the season, the plant strength remains robust. The results of Rexoso RZ have been similar to the standard varieties previously used in terms of flavour, uniformity and colour – the three most important characteristics for our customers – and also yield and shelf life."

Harold values the collaboration with Rijk Zwaan on ToBRFV resistances and beyond, because it helps Red Sun Farms in moving 'freshly forward'. "We rely on Rijk Zwaan to persist in advancing innovation within breeding sciences. Their efforts are directed towards minimising disease control while optimising the overall quality of greenhouse produce. Beyond their efforts in addressing ToBRFV, they have introduced fresh varietal innovations, imparted valuable insights, and shared learnings from their Retail Center in Berlin. Furthermore, they actively contribute to industry trade events by providing educational content from a seed breeding perspective. Rijk Zwaan has proven to be an excellent collaborator in spearheading innovation within the category."