04 Sep 2019
Knox iceberg lettuce varieties open up new opportunities for foodservice
The foodservice sector continues to enjoy strong growth worldwide. New restaurants are opening all the time, offering an increasingly diverse choice of food. One thing that unites all foodservice businesses is their quest to find high-quality iceberg lettuce with a long shelf life that also retains its crunch in sandwiches and hamburgers.
Longer shelf life means less waste
Rijk Zwaan provided the answer when it introduced Knox™ in 2015. The Knox trait delays pinking in fresh-cut lettuce, thus extending its shelf life. This automatically reduces waste too, since less lettuce has to be thrown away. As a result, Knox lettuce is an extremely sustainable product which is highly suitable for processing companies, foodservice businesses and other players in the convenience market.
Expansion of the iceberg lettuce line
Rijk Zwaan has definitely not been resting on its laurels in the four years since the launch of Knox. The vegetable breeder won the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award in 2017, for example, and has been continuously investing in the further development of its Knox range. The iceberg lettuce line in particular has been significantly expanded. This is especially good news for foodservice companies because iceberg lettuce is a popular choice in sandwiches and hamburgers. Thanks to this extension of the Knox range, the whole fresh produce chain can now rely on year-round availability of iceberg lettuce with a longer shelf life.
Responding to market needs
The popularity of Knox among foodservice companies is understandable, according to Bauke van Lenteren, Convenience Manager at Rijk Zwaan: “We're seeing healthy food, fresh ingredients and minimal waste becoming ever-more important in the out-of-home market. Thanks to Knox, consumers can enjoy fresh iceberg lettuce with a satisfying crunch, while producers are assured of a longer shelf life and less waste.”
Over the coming weeks Rijk Zwaan will once again be holding its Demo Days in Fijnaart (the Netherlands) and is also exhibiting at Fruit Attraction in Madrid (Spain) and the PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California (USA). “Our specialists are looking forward to showing visitors our new Knox varieties and discussing the possibilities with them,” continues Bauke. That’s how we share a healthy future.
The Demo Days in Fijnaart will start on Monday 16 September. Rijk Zwaan is also present at the PMA Fresh Summit from 17-20 October in Anaheim, California (USA) and at Fruit Attraction from 24-26 October in Madrid (Spain). For more information about Knox, please see www.rijkzwaan.com/solutions/knox.
