Valencia, Spain
October 2, 2008
 Nunhems,
the vegetable seed business of Bayer CropScience, brought
together experts from different parts of the watermelon supply
chain at its First International Watermelon Conference on
October 2 in Valencia, Spain. The symposium served to exchange
experiences, establish contacts and learn about new trends and
developments in the watermelon industry. Presentations by
external speakers covered multiple aspects ranging from global
trade and consumption statistics over business cases to
innovative marketing models, offering unique insights into what
will determine tomorrow’s watermelon production, processing and
retailing business. As one of the world’s leading providers of
watermelon seeds and related concepts and services, Nunhems
excels in all fruit types and maintains close relationships to
watermelon specialists in all major production areas.
Nunhems’ CEO Douwe Zijp welcomed some 200 guests from twelve
countries to the event at Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences.
He emphasized the importance of sharing know-how across
disciplines. “Nunhems is proud to offer this information
exchange platform. The days when farmers, processors, exporters,
importers and food service providers worked independently and
focused exclusively on their own specific needs are over. The
future of the watermelon business lies with the global
integration of the supply chain. In this respect, our conference
is an important step towards connecting the different parts of
the chain – to explore joint business opportunities, and to
deliver high-quality products to our customers and to
consumers,” he commented. Vicente Riera, Regional Secretary for
Agriculture, Fish and Food emphasized the economic significance
of the agricultural sector and the importance of innovation for
the region of Valencia.
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The presentations addressed a variety of key aspects of the
present and future watermelon business, including research and
development, cultivation, international trade and marketing.
Vicente Navarro, Nunhems’ Global Head of Marketing, commented on
the company’s position on the European watermelon market and
stressed the added value Nunhems derives from global business
integration, modern research techniques, a strong customer focus
and close cooperation with partners and customers across the
supply chain. Hans-Christoph Behr, from German ZMP (Zentrale
Markt- und Preisberichtstelle), pointed out global trade flows
and market trends. Rosa Melero from ETEA University addressed
the potential of creating consumer demand through effective
consumer brand communication and partnerships along the value
chain at the example of the Fashion business model. José
Cárdenas from the Fashion Group Association (AGF) and Fabio
Cafero from Auchan Italy further commented on the Fashion
concept from a retail and grower association point of view. .
During the second part of the conference, the focus was on
consumer-oriented product forms and ways of promoting watermelon
consumption. Jack Wilder, from the international food
manufacturer Bakkavor, gave an insight into the most recent
fresh-cut developments in watermelon, while Olivier Hausheer
from XTC explored innovative ways of increasing watermelon
consumption. Finally, Gordon Hunt presented the US approach of
the National Watermelon Promotion Board, an Orlando-based
non-profit organization that aims at promoting the public image
of watermelon through research and education.
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Apart from the resourceful presentation sessions, the conference
attendees also had the chance to indulge in a more sensual and
tangible watermelon experience: a chef and a food artist
prepared tasty and visually appealing watermelon creations that
left nothing to be desired.
Nunhems, Bayer CropScience’s vegetable seed business, is the
global specialist in vegetable seeds and in sharing products,
concepts and expertise with the professional horticultural
production industry and supply chain. Its portfolio includes
leading varieties and brands in crops such as leek, onion,
carrot, melon, cucumber, tomato, watermelon, lettuce, pepper and
chicory witloof. With annual sales of EUR 208 million in 2007,
Nunhems is amongst the world’s leading vegetable seed companies,
with an extensive range of 28 species and some 2,500 varieties.
With more than 1,300 people, Nunhems is present in all major
vegetable production areas in the world.
Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales
of about EUR 5.8 billion (2007), is one of the world’s leading
innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop
protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant
biotechnology. The company offers an outstanding range of
products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable
agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer
CropScience has a global workforce of about 17,800 and is
represented in more than 120 countries. |
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