IDEAL Melons Wins the Fruit Logistica Innovation Silver Award

Syngenta Vegetable Seeds was recently awarded the Silver Fruit Logistica Innovation Award for the IDEAL Melons with the Harvest Indicator Trait. This prestigious award recognizes innovation excellence in the fruit and vegetable industry and is open to nominees from companies around the world. 

“We are thrilled to be the winner of the Fruit Logistica Innovation Silver Award 2023,” said Jeremie Chabanis, Value Chain Head Europe, Africa, and Middle East. “It was great to see so many of our growers and customers from around the world during this event and winning is a great way to honor the scientists, researchers, and growers who are growing and improving our products every year.” 

What are IDEAL Melons? 

IDEAL Melons with the patent-pending Harvest Indicator Trait features a rind color change technology that indicates the IDEAL time to harvest, IDEAL time to ship, IDEAL time to stock, and IDEAL time to eat. With great taste and aromatics, Syngenta is confident growers, shippers, retailers, and consumers will love these melons.  

“We know that with previous Long Shelf Life (LSL) melons, there were challenges that impacted not only growers, but consumers’ perceptions of the fruit,” said Bernie Hamel, Value Added Chain Lead, Americas. “With Syngenta Vegetable Seeds new IDEAL Melon varieties with the Harvest Indicator trait, we’re addressing those challenges to create melons that have improved taste, texture, and are more sustainable.”  

The technology in IDEAL Melons with the Harvest Indicator Trait turns cantaloupe rinds from green to a golden straw color. This is an easy-to-see indication of time to harvest, meaning growers only ship melons that are ripe and ready-to-eat. This means customers can shop with confidence that the cantaloupe they buy at the store will be at the peak of ripeness and have good flavor to the last bite. 

Syngenta at Fruit Logistica 

Syngenta shared a variety of innovations and opportunities with Fruit Logistica visitors. The Fruit Logistica Innovation Award was certainly a highlight, but it’s not the only exciting reason to look forward to what’s in store this year and beyond.  

This year, in addition to IDEAL Melons, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds featured our stand-out tomato and lettuce capabilities. Featured highlights include: 

• Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) Solutions. Syngenta was the first company to announce the discovery and later commercialize a tomato with resistance to ToBRFV in 2020, and continues to research new modes of action and expansion of current resistance mechanisms. At Fruit Logistica, tomato experts provided visitors with updates on research, tips for reducing the spread of the virus, and answered questions. 
• Technology at Tomato Vision. Syngenta’s premier greenhouse in Maasland, Netherlands, hosts research trials for tomatoes and peppers. The researchers are at the forefront of technology, with a harvesting robot and two unique AI trials. Visitors at Fruit Logistica got an inside view of what goes on at Tomato Vision, and what researchers think of these new technologies. 
• SolidRib™ and Krispice™ Lettuce. The need for high-quality lettuce is paramount for retailers, growers, and consumers. Syngenta protects lettuce quality with disease resistance, hearty leaves that are able to withstand shipping and handling, and storability. SolidRib and Krispice experts were on-hand at Fruit Logistica to introduce visitors to why these lettuces stand above the rest. 

Each year, Fruit Logistica welcomes thousands of people to Berlin who are interested in the fruit and vegetables industry. Syngenta is happy to host decision makers and change drivers from around the world who are interested in the latest innovations in this industry. 

Learn more about Syngenta’s total vegetable and fruit crop portfolios by visiting www.syngentavegetables.com or on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. 

About Syngenta Vegetable Seeds: Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds are part of Syngenta Group, one of the world’s leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality, and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources.