Hazera Genetics Introduces High Brix Gourmet Tomato

Hazera Genetics, developers of cherry tomatoes, cluster tomatoes, and seedless watermelons, has achieved a new milestone with the development of Maggie, a gourmet tomato. Maggie gourmet tomato seeds are now available to growers worldwide.

“The Maggie gourmet tomato is the result of six years of our painstaking work using traditional cross-breeding techniques,” said Gadi Ben Ariel, Ph.D. School of Agriculture, Hebrew University, the developer of the tomato. “We succeeded in creating a tomato that has a Brix sweetness rating of 5.5, compared with the average tomato’s rating of 1 or 2. This is truly a snacking tomato that can be featured raw.”

According to Hazera Genetics, a company with a global presence, Maggie gourmet tomatoes have firm body and a rich aroma to go along with their balance of sweetness and acidity. This was confirmed in a blind taste test of people who rated themselves “tomato snackers” — consumers who enjoy the taste of raw tomatoes.

Sold in specially labeled trays saying “The Tastiest Gourmet Tomato in Israel” in supermarkets across Israel, Maggie has been very well received, which is quite an accomplishment in a country that brags the highest per capita consumption of tomatoes worldwide. Chefs have been featuring Maggie in their restaurants, to great acclaim from their patrons.

“Maggie seeds are now available for sale worldwide. They’re compact, high-yield plants that are disease resistant, offering growers improved yield per hectare,” said Yaron Giras, tomato senior product manager, Hazera. “Combined with a long shelf life and superior marketability due to their great flavor, Maggie tomatoes offer considerable value across the supply chain.”

For more information, go to http://hazerainc.com/.