Features Business Marketing
NatureFresh’s TOMZ tomatoes always in season

July 5, 2016, Leamington, Ont. – NatureFresh™ Farms expansion to Ohio is not only giving consumers in the mid-west a great tomato on the vine with its OhioRed™ tomatoes, its giving the company an opportunity to develop year-round programs that are focused on locally grown products.

NatureFresh™ recently launched their new TOMZ™ snacking tomato product line to meet the increasing demand for consistently flavourful, locally grown tomatoes regardless of the season.

“Our snacking tomato line has been expanding each year as we continue to bring new varieties to market. As a vertically integrated grower and marketer, we are able to maintain a greater level of quality in what we pick, pack, and ship to our customers,” said Matt Quiring, retail account manager.

“Our tomato growing philosophy allows us to produce a better quality product which ensures we are delivering an overall better eating experience for the consumer. By launching the TOMZ snacking tomato line, we are giving customers and consumers alike a program that caters to all of their taste preferences with locally grown tomatoes, 12 months a year.

FAMILY OWNED AND MANAGED

Family owned and managed NatureFresh Farms currently operates 130 acres in Leamington and 15 acres in Delta, Ohio, with 30 more acres in Ohio coming online by November.

Creating a category-wide brand like TOMZ that includes red, yellow and orange grape tomatoes as well as red cherry, sweet cocktail, and medley tomatoes enables NatureFresh to consistently market and promote locally grown, year-round, premium specialty tomatoes under one label. To group all snacking tomato types under one unique brand is a new concept that retailers are excited about.

NatureFresh Farms unveiled the TOMZ snacking tomato program recently at United Fresh in Chicago and was met with rave reviews. Visitors liked the colour variations in the branding in keeping a consistent message on the label. Building brand awareness across multiple varieties will help gain consumer confidence in a premium product that is grown locally year-round.
 
AWARD WINNING PRODUCTS

With recent greenhouse vegetable awards for Best Cocktail Tomato and People’s Choice Award for Hottest Tomato (see previous article here), the launch of NatureFresh’s new snacking tomato program shows the company’s commitment to developing premium products.

Grown currently in Leamington, production of all TOMZ items will shift to Delta this fall to provide year-round availability. NatureFresh started shipping the new TOMZ brand snacking tomatoes to all of their retail partners the week of June 20.

The new year-round production facility in Delta will give the company 45 acres of locally grown specialty tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and its very popular OhioRed TOVs starting this winter.

Phase 1 (15.30 acres) was completed in late 2015; Phase 2 (15.30 acres) and Phase 3 (15.30 acres) are now under construction and will be completed later this fall.

By reducing food miles from Mexico, Central America, or overseas, the TOMZ brand snacking tomatoes will give customers confidence in buying locally grown, consistently flavorful tomatoes year-round.
 
To learn more about TOMZ snacking tomatoes, please visit naturefresh.ca.