Rijk Zwaan to launch Crunshella brand at Fruit Logistica

Crunshella® is the new name for Rijk Zwaan's sweet, crunchy mini Snack Lettuce, which has amassed fans in Europe in recent years. The launch of the brand at Fruit Logistica 2026 is a step towards Rijk Zwaan's goal of year-round on-shelf availability. Rijk Zwaan and Spanish growers' cooperatives are inviting retailers and lettuce growers from Northern Europe to join them in promoting Crunshella.

Name captures the attributes
"Besides being easily recognisable, the new name 'Crunshella' – a combination of 'crunchy' and 'shell' – also better reflects the attributes of the lettuce, which was previously called Snack Lettuce," explains Johan Vis, Marketing Specialist at Rijk Zwaan. "We developed the new brand – complete with brand book, photos, recipes and packaging – together with our partners JimboFresh International, Fruca and El Dulze from Spain and McCormack from Ireland."

Year-round availability
Retailers who want to boost their lettuce category are encouraged to get involved with Crunshella, and so too are lettuce growers in Europe. "Together, we can spread our wings even further. We want European consumers to be able to enjoy the versatility of this mini lettuce all year round," continues Johan.

"The product is supplied by northern European growers in the summer, and by southern European growers in the winter. Our role is to ensure that these growers have access to robust varieties. For example, to align with the future needs of the Crunshella segment, we're testing a new variety with high resistance against the currant-lettuce aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri (Nr: 0,1). Additionally, we support brand promotion to consumers throughout the year."

© Rijk Zwaan

Inspiring recipes
One way Rijk Zwaan promotes the brand is through its online platform called Veggies First. This website for home cooks and amateur chefs throughout Europe is a source of inspiring recipes featuring the mini lettuce. The dishes are visually appealing, easy to make and – above all – deliciously crunchy.

Experience the taste
Fruit Logistica visitors can experience these attributes first-hand. Johan: "We warmly invite retailers and growers to come and taste Crunshella for themselves at the Rijk Zwaan stand or at the stands of our partners JimboFresh and Fruca."

This is why Rijk Zwaan's partners are so enthusiastic about Crunshella:
Beatriz García, Key Account Manager at Spanish Fruca Marketing "The incredible sweet taste, the crunchy and fresh texture, and the long shelf life make it perfect for snacks and salads in today's fast-paced lifestyle."

Stephen McCormack, Managing Director at Irish McCormack Family Farms "It's not only about the unique boat-shaped leaves. Additionally, the convenience of easily separated leaves, their crunchy texture, sweet flavour profile and juiciness really set it apart from other products in this category."

Cecilia Ekfors Forsberg, Category Manager at ICA Sweden "Consumers are gradually switching from iceberg lettuce to smaller and tastier lettuces. Sweden has a large percentage of single households, which makes this double-pack product a good fit: one head for one meal, and there's one head left for another meal."

Miguel Ángel Jiménez, CEO at Spanish JimboFresh "Consumers like the texture, flavour and especially the crunchy-sounding bite. That's why this concept received the Accelera Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Fruit Attraction trade fair in 2018."