AGENDA


Fruitnet Tomato Congress - 11-12 November 2025


Malaga, Spain

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR TOMATOES? LOOKING AHEAD TO 2030


Simultaneous translation available Spanish to English and English to Spanish

Day 1: The Future of the Tomato Industry

  • 08:30 – 09:30REGISTRATION AND NETWORKING
    09:30 – 09:35 WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS
    Overview of the event and an introduction to the 2025 congress theme: preparing for the tomato market of 2030.

    • Tom Joyce, Fruitnet (UK)
    • Maura Maxwell, Fruitnet (UK)
    09:35 – 09:50 TALK: EUROPEAN TOMATOES – FROM HERE TO 2030
    Key insights into the future of the tomato industry, with a special focus on major category trends, supply dynamics, technological innovations and changing consumer demands in Europe.

    • Lambert van Horen, Rabobank (Netherlands)
    09:50 – 10:30 PANEL DISCUSSION: WHAT WILL EUROPE’S TOMATO MARKET LOOK LIKE IN 2030?
    Where Europe sources its tomatoes from is always evolving, but issues including climate change, logistical crises and wars are giving rise to rapid changes. We examine the expected shifts over the coming five years, asking what they mean for European production, as well as for producers in North Africa, the Mediterranean and Central Asia.

    • David Del Pino, Freshtrategy (Spain)
    • Alberto Cuadrado Salmerón, Rijk Zwaan (Spain)
    • Lambert van Horen, Rabobank (Netherlands)
    10:30 – 11:15 NETWORKING BREAK   
    11:15 – 12:00 TALKS AND DISCUSSION: RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABILITY AND LABOUR AVAILABILITY IN TOMATOES
    How’s the net zero journey going? We examine the importance of continuing to pressure the EU to do what’s right by both growers and the environment, and highlight the multiple benefits of investing in boosting the consumption and production of sustainably grown fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes.

    • Kacem Bennani Smires, Delassus (Morocco)
    • Pedro Ruiz, Granada La Palma (Spain)
    • David Abeijon, Biobest Group (Belgium)
    • Jim Jefcoate, Hurdletree Associates (UK)
    12:00 – 13:15 TALKS AND DISCUSSION: CAN WE RELY ON A TECH FIX?
    Increasing automation appears a certainty in the tomato category, whether in enhanced greenhouse production, sorting and packing, harvesting or transportation. We look at how technologies can solve the problem of labour availability, both now and in 2030, while also asking how workers’ rights and living wages can be protected in the sector.

    • David Hicks, Altered Carbon (UK)
    • Ben Pieterse, TTA-ISO (Netherlands)
    • Dr Antony Chapman, Phytoform Labs (UK)
    • Freddie Reed, Intelligent Growth Solutions (UK)
    • Max van den Hemel, Delphy (Netherlands)
  • 13:15 – 14:30LUNCH AND NETWORKING  
    14:30 – 15:30 TALKS AND DISCUSSION: THE TOMATO OF THE FUTURE – WHAT WILL CONSUMERS WANT IN 2030?
    What will the tomato of 2030 look like in terms of taste, nutrition, and sustainability? How will consumer demand for health-conscious and sustainably grown tomatoes shape the market, and how will the efforts of seed companies to breed higher resistance and yield evolve? Plus, a look at the role of consumer brands in the future.

    • Jordi Ballester, Letitout Food Creativity (Spain)
    • Lena Maas, Hudson River (Netherlands)
    • Jan Engelen, Hoogstraten (Belgium)
    • Kasia Grabka, HM Clause (France)
    15:30 – 16:15 NETWORKING BREAK
    16:15 – 17:30 DISCUSSIONS: FRUITCAST WITH TOP EXPERTS FROM ACROSS THE TOMATO SUPPLY CHAIN
    The focus of these interviews will be on the main talking points raised during the congress, as well as the key challenges of the future: how to grow consumption and meet the needs of tomorrow’s consumers, how to build resilience to weather extremes and pests and diseases, and how to respond to rising labour costs and shortages.

    Panel
    • Michal Taraska, Hazera (Netherlands)
    • Manuel Ferrer, HM Clause (Spain)
    • Naz Ahmed, BASF Nunhems (UK)
    • Abderrahim Chajia, Yuksel Seeds (Morocco)

    Interview
    • Matías Carrizo, Socomo/Carrefour (Spain)
    • Alberto Parra, Carrefour (Spain)
    17:30 – 18:30 AFTERWORK DRINKS
    CONFERENCE AND EXPO CLOSES
     FRESH IDEAS STAGE  
    11:00 – 11:15 PRESENTATION: EMERGING SOURCES
    • Andriy Yarmak, EastFruit (Ukraine)
    13:40 – 14:15 PRESENTATIONS: POWER OF PREDICTION
    • Jan-Willem Snoeker, Merqato (Netherlands)
    • Paul Simmonds, Rijk Zwaan (Netherlands)
    15:40 – 16:10 PRESENTATIONS: NEW PATH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
    • Jim Jefcoate, Hurdletree Associates (UK)
    • Clara Romero, FoodExperts (Spain)

Day 2: Delegate Tours

Delegate Visit Schedule

  • 07:00Departure from FYCMA (Málaga)  
    • Coach transfer to Parque Científico-Tecnológico de Almería.
    • Estimated duration: 3 hours. 
    10:00 Arrival at Unica Group (Parque Científico-Tecnológico PITA)
    10:00 – 11:00 Facility visit
    • Welcome.
    • Receiving, sorting, and packaging processes.
    • Innovation in logistics and sustainability.
    11:30 Transfer to Rijk Zwaan (El Ejido)
    • Duration: 30 minutes. 
    11:45 – 12:45 Technical visit to Rijk Zwaan
    • Welcome and presentation.
    • Tour of the test greenhouses and R&D centre.
    • Varietal innovation and sustainability. 
  • 12:45 – 13:45Lunch at Rijk Zwaan 
    • Tasting of varieties
    13:45 Departure for Granada La Palma (Motril)
    • Estimated duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.
    15:15 Arrival at Granada La Palma  
    15:15 – 16:15 Visit to facilities
    • Tour of fresh and fresh-cut.
    • Product tasting. 
    16:30 Return to Málaga (FYCMA)
    • Estimated duration: 1 hour 15 minutes.
    • Expected arrival: 17:45.

    Tour sponsored bythe fruit republic

 

You are welcome to propose a conference topic and/or nominate a speaker for Fruitnet Tomato Congress

Tom Joyce – tom@fruitnet.com

 

Organised by

Organiser

Supported by

Fruit Logistica

Follow us and connect...