The seed company specialised in research and marketing of innovative hybrid vegetable varieties, chose Fruit Logistica to showcase Ikygai, its new umbrella brand launched following a series of focus groups, workshops and consumer testings.
Berlin, 5th February 2020 – A brand for fresh produce, based on the Japanese concept of a healthy, balanced lifestyle and aimed at Generation Y.
Indeed, millennials – namely, those born between the early Eighties and the end of the Nineties, with their strong focus on quality of life, health and wellbeing – are the main target consumer group of Ikygai, the new brand presented by Top Seeds International at Fruit Logistica, the leading international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector, held in Berlin from 5th to 7th February.
The Ikygai brand actually stems directly from consumer requirements, intercepted by Top Seeds International through a series of product testings, carried out not only on potential traditional purchasers, but also on a panel of experts.
The results of this survey, conducted over the course of 2019, revealed the increasingly pressing need for a brand that not only encompasses fresh products but is synonymous with health, beauty, taste and inspiration. This culminated in the launch of Ikygai, now being presented to the market with a campaign which, through recipes, leaflets and storytelling on websites and social media platforms dedicated to health and wellbeing, is based on attention to food and food quality. The packaging too, made of recycled clear plastic, meets the demands voiced by consumers during the testing stage, asking not only for simplicity, stylishness and transparency, but also for a clear view of the product inside, all with the utmost respect for fundamental ethical and sustainable principles.
In addition to exclusiveness, with Ikygai Top Seeds International aims to focus on innovation, with the addition – approximately every two years – of premium quality products including peppers, cucumbers, melons, watermelons and onions.
Yuka -the mini plum tomato with elegant, uniform clusters of bright orange-coloured fruits weighing on average 20-25 grams – is the first product in the Ikygai line to be presented in Berlin. Delivering a unique taste experience, it has a good shelf-life with firm, slightly crunchy fruits and a high Brix level. Yuka boasts an excellent range of resistance, and the open-habit, high-vigour plants are very productive.
Surveys conducted on sample consumer groups in the Netherlands during 2019 recorded enthusiastic appreciation: the mini plum was considered “sweet and fruity in flavour”, which precisely meets expectations based on the product’s appearance. The brightness of its colour was another aspect that drew highly positive reviews.
A panel of sensory experts also outlined Yuka’s taste profile, comparing it against current benchmarks: “Based on the surveys carried out” explained Gianni Bernardotto CEO of Top Seeds International “its sweetness is considerably higher, the flavour fruitier with less after-taste, and the texture firmer. We carried out this research to keep in step with the needs of the market: we aim to offer vegetable varieties with not just genetic resistance to a wide range of diseases, but also with increasingly desirable characteristics for consumers.”
The new umbrella brand is a star attraction at the Top Seeds International stand (City Cube, Hall B – C05) thanks also to the presence of Japanese chef, Shin Miyeon, who tempts visitors with a series of dishes created with Yuka that all reflect the oriental lifestyle summed up in Ikygai. “Food with purpose” is the claim which accompanies the brand and which serves as a reminder that food is not just a means of satisfying hunger but is, above all, linked to other aspects, such as health, beauty, taste and inspiration.
