Tomatelier wants consumers to enjoy tomatoes more, by seeing them less as functional foods and more like fashion collections, with style, emotion, and meaning
Jordi Ballester thinks consumers would eat more tomatoes if they were marketed better. That’s why he’s so keen to help consumers see beyond a mountain of different product types, to make it easier for them to enjoy the very best varieties on offer, whatever the occasion.
As founder of Barcelona-based consultancy Let It Out Food Creativity, Ballester’s agri-food tech expertise – earned over decades with companies like Nunhems and Semillas Fitó – now helps nurture a range of projects designed to unlock new value in the tomato category.
“Despite the great diversity of varieties, the category still lacks curation and clear positioning,” he argues. “Consumers often feel overwhelmed by choice. What’s missing is a framework that helps people navigate tomatoes emotionally – fewer random SKUs and more collections with identity, tomatoes that make sense together and express a lifestyle.”
One such venture is Tomatelier. A creative house owned by Italian seed company Biogya, the company seeks to redefine people’s experience of tomatoes by partnering with growers, retailers, and chefs around the globe.
“After more than 20 years in the vegetable seed industry, we wanted to merge genetics, creativity, design, and storytelling,” he says. “Tomatelier was born from the idea that tomatoes deserve to be curated like fashion collections – with style, emotion, and meaning. Our vision is to redefine the ‘must-haves’ in the shopping basket through creativity and consumer connection.”
First out on the runway are a trio of eye-catching varieties: a fondant-textured, melt-in-the-mouth variety called Melt; an elegant, tear-shaped snack tomato called Joya; and Enzo, a mini Marzano on the vine that combines full ToBRFV resistance with “outstanding” flavour balance.
For Ballester, three strong trends will shape the tomato category in the next decade. One is premiumisation through emotion and storytelling, in response to consumer demand for authentic, beautiful food. The second is smaller varieties combined with better taste experiences akin to those achieved in craft beer or speciality coffee. And the third is sustainability and transparency.
“We believe the future belongs to brands and varieties that connect genetics with meaning, flavour with purpose.”
Now, Tomatelier is ready to unveil Tomart, a new concept that reimagines tomatoes as berries. As Ballester explains, the name will be used to market micro tomatoes, each under 10g, that are sensory delicacies with a “powerful” burst of sweetness and acidity. “The idea is to create a bridge between berries and vegetables, positioning Tomart both as a healthy, on-the-go snack and as a super-premium culinary ingredient — a kind of natural tomato caviar. It’s about redefining the limits of the category through size, flavour intensity, and emotional connection.” _
