With Paradizer, Hofer KG has been selling a new winter tomato from local greenhouse cultivation for a good month now. The flavorful tomato comes exclusively from selected farms that produce under state-of-the-art, resource-saving conditions even in winter. "This allows us to guarantee short transport routes, maximum freshness, and consistently high quality throughout the year," says the Austrian food retailer.
The tomato is a flavorful cherry tomato of the Sunstream Alon variety with a high Brix value (over 8 degrees), a characteristic blocky oval shape, and an intense red color with a natural sheen. The variety is highly tolerant to the ToBRFV virus, which ensures stable yields and a secure supply. "The tomato was specifically selected for Austrian winter cultivation in greenhouses. Even with reduced sunlight, it produces evenly ripened fruits with full flavor, aromatic intensity, and a harmonious sweetness-acidity ratio. It also impresses with its good shelf life and freshness. Another convincing argument is its robust plant health, which reduces the need for pesticides."
© HOFER KG
Packaged PARADIZER in the tried-and-tested 250g pack
Clear position as a premium tomato
With its new product line, Hofer KG is enriching its vegetable shelf with a versatile premium tomato. "The Paradizer goes well with any meal – whether as a snack, in a salad, for breakfast, or as a delicious side dish. We are also focusing on a clear position in the range: unlike our classic winter tomatoes, which tend to cover basic needs, the Paradizer is positioned as a top variety for particularly taste-conscious consumers." In addition to classic midi vine tomatoes (cocktail vine tomatoes) and premium Doltschis tomatoes grown in Austria, the retail giant now offers the Paradizer as an ideal addition for the winter season. "This ensures that HOFER has the right tomato for every taste and occasion, no matter what time of year."
Paradizer tomatoes have been listed at Hofer since around mid-October, and demand so far has even exceeded expectations, the company continues. "We attribute this success in particular to the Sun Stream variety, which stands out from other cherry tomato varieties on the shelf thanks to its special shape and intense flavor. This allows us to offer consumers a high-quality and flavorful alternative in our existing range. This confirms that we are on the right track with our positioning and variety selection."
Thanks to the close and long-standing partnership with Zeiler – and the constant exchange that comes with it – the company is always in a position to respond flexibly to market developments and ensure that consumers can find fresh, high-quality products on the shelves at all times. "Should there be any surplus quantities in production, we plan to offer these in the form of promotions or advertising campaigns to provide our customers with attractive Paradizer offers even in winter."
Winter tomatoes at the POS: attractively and sustainably packaged
During the winter months, Paradizer is offered in the tried-and-tested 250 g packaging. "This packaging size allows us to work with a complete truss per package as a rule, which shows the product in the 250 g cup to its best advantage. The harmonious, visually appealing appearance contributes significantly to emphasizing the premium quality of the tomato. At the point of sale, we also place particular emphasis on communicating the Austrian origin. This is clearly communicated both via our electronic price boards and directly on the product itself. The cup packaging clearly highlights the regional origin and conveys to consumers at first glance that this is a local product. In addition, we also ensure clear regional labeling on the outer packaging. We use IFCO cardboard inserts that extend across the sides of the IFCO crates and draw attention to the product. This creates a harmonious, modern overall image that emphasizes quality, origin, and freshness in equal measure."
© HOFER KG
Insight into the tomato cultivation at Zeiler
Trial cultivation of winter cucumbers
According to Hofer KG, demand for regional fruit and vegetables in Austria has risen significantly in recent years. "Customers today pay more attention to where their food comes from and appreciate the safety, quality, and freshness of local produce. This is exactly where we come in: we want to actively shape and drive this development forward. That's why we are constantly examining which types of fruit vegetables can also be made available regionally in the cold season in the future."
One concrete example is the planned trial cultivation of cucumbers from Austria in winter. "This will make us the first discounter in Austria to offer our customers the opportunity to choose a domestic alternative to imported goods in this product category as well. We see great potential here, especially in comparison to the imported cucumbers that have been available to date. Snack and midi cucumbers are already being successfully cultivated in Austria in winter – we want to build on this and specifically expand the experience of our producers. Our long-term goal is to further strengthen regional value creation even in the cold season while offering our customers a range of products that combine freshness, taste, and origin," they conclude.
© HOFER KG/L. Gugler
Austrian cucumbers from the trial cultivation
For more information:
www.hofer.at/de/homepage.html
www.tomaten.at/
