PopFest 2023 - What a week!  

Although the PopFest ’23 Open Days are over, the good mood certainly is not! From 25 until the 29th of September, we opened our doors to our growers, dealers, and partners to discover our newest varieties and innovations. PopFest was the place where everything came together. The fields, our focus, food for thought, and – most importantly – our Pop Friends from all over the world.

Catch the vibe by checking the aftermovie! Click here to watch. 

To establish the focus that is running through our genes we strive to inspire both growers and chain partners with our solutions. Climate change, sustainability, taste, and health are high priorities. We showcased the 2.0 version of the Magma collection®. This year, the Magma Collection, a collection of heat and stress tolerant beans developed for the U.S. fresh produce market, is expanded to include varieties for the European fresh produce market. The Magma varieties prevent gaps in production programs due to heat stress. The biggest development within baby leaf spinach is that the range for the Northwest European market has been completed with early and late segment varieties. For the beans processing market is less waste is a big driver in reaching goals considering sustainability and lowering the cost price. During PopFest we introduced our Steady Sevens; a number of bean varieties that always score a stable seven in terms of yield and quality. In this case reliability is more important than perfection. For the Asian Market we introduced the next generation of bunching. This new generation includes varieties with an improved leaf type that show a better performance in terms of shelf life, harvestability, processing and also complete resistance.

What’s cooking behind all the agronomic traits? In the Pop to Go shelf we showcased retail concepts based on trend data and consumer insights to inspire our customers on different levels. Sitting at the table with partners in the chain learns us how to respond to market trends and changing consumer needs.

So, there was enough to experience! The crops were reflected in everything the customer saw and tasted. Literally, some food for thought to ensure the senses are put into full focus. A bunch of our Pop Friends even dived in our varieties whilst looking for “the golden bean”. This golden bean seed led to ownership of the exclusive Salinas Spinach Swimmers. What a way take the plunge!

We want to thank everyone who was part of it, we enjoyed the good conversations and happy faces. Hope to see you next year!

Warm regards,

The Pop Vriend Team