Vitalis Organic Seeds Looks to the Future

A powerhouse of breeding innovation for almost three decades, Vitalis Organic Seeds operates as the organic division of Enza Zaden, a family-owned vegetable breeding company that invests more than $100 million in R&D annually.

Since its 2009 arrival in the US in Salinas, CA, Vitalis has enjoyed steady growth and is approaching this year with continued confidence in the premium genetics and resistances that distinguish its assortment. Among growers and dealers serving markets across North America, Vitalis is known for personalized, partnership-style relationships.

“Vitalis is a foundational element of our seed business, and we’re proud of its growth alongside that of our dedicated organic growers over the past 16 years,” said Ian Botes, the company’s commercial director, USA. “With more than 125 certified organic varieties available in the US, for 2023, we’re highly committed to providing the broadest assortment in North America and to continually demonstrating our unique strengths in the genetics and resistances organic growers need to be successful.”

Ian Botes, Commercial Director, USA, Enza Zaden

From open field to protected culture to CEA, Vitalis offers seed varieties and collections for all market segments.

“With more than 125 certified organic varieties available in the US, for 2023, we’re highly committed to providing the broadest assortment in North America and to continually demonstrating our unique strengths in the genetics and resistances organic growers need to be successful.” - Ian Botes

Eazyleaf, Vitalis’s well-known and growing collection of premium one-cuts, is defined by high levels of downy mildew resistance, innovative leaf shapes, ideal textures, and multiple colors including dark reds.

Recent additions to the Eazyleaf portfolio include Ezpark, a deep emerald green tango with excellent loft, yield, and field holding ability; Rhone, an incised red tango with crunchy texture and attractive red/green contrast; and Ezflor, a glossy dark red (usable as a red tango or redleaf) that maintains excellent texture even under water stress and multiple harvests.

Vitalis's Bauer, an emerald green oakleaf

Vitalis’s Petites Collection is a broad assortment of well-established and new mini-head lettuce varieties, Bauer, an emerald green oakleaf. This standout variety swept the 2022 All America Selections (AAS) awards when it was chosen as the National AAS Edible Vegetable Category Winner. Grower-friendly Bauer was lauded by reviewers for its dark color, great flavor, harvest flexibility, and excellent disease-resistance package.

As early leaders in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Vitalis has a dedicated CEA portfolio and team to support professional growers, including extensive trialing under precise indoor-growing conditions. Newer varieties in this category include Cristabel, a frilled ice lettuce notable for high yields, upright growth, very strong dark green leaves, and thick texture.

From open field to protected culture to CEA, Vitalis offers seed varieties and collections for all market segments.

Mixologist is Vitalis’s compelling collection of heirloom-type hybrid tomatoes that offer an excellent resistance package for protected culture, including resistance to leaf mold, tomato mosaic virus, and tomato apex necrotic virus. Ideal for wholesale and local markets, each grower-friendly variety features sweet, tangy, and bright flavors; excellent eating quality; and tomato-perfect texture that maintains firmness for post-harvest quality. As decadent as the libations they are named for, these varieties—CubaLibre, GinFiz, MaiTai, Marsalato, and Enroza—also provide stunning displays with their beautiful color combinations and full-bodied shapes.

Vitalis's Marsalato heirloom tomatoes

Evi, an outstanding basil with impressive downy-mildew and fusarium-wilt resistance, features traditional basil flavor and is adaptable to both open field and CEA. Evi is the latest addition to Vitalis’s innovative culinary herb assortment, including 14 varieties of basil, chives, cilantro, dill, parsley, sage, and thyme.

The only breeder of certified organic triploid watermelons in North America, Vitalis’s growing assortment includes Red Amber, Red Garnet, and of course Cracker Jack, the grower-friendly crimson stripe that in recent years has secured accolades in every watermelon production region in the US.

Vitalis's Cracker Jack watermelon

Over the next decade, the growth strategy for EnzaZaden USA/Vitalis Organic Seeds will include exploration of new regions and markets, backed by pioneering genetics, impressive resistances, informed advocacy, and strong grower partnerships.

As early leaders in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Vitalis has a dedicated CEA portfolio and team to support professional growers, including extensive trialing under precise indoor-growing conditions.

“Looking ahead, we’re expanding our reach and taking advantage of new learning opportunities to fortify awareness of both known and underserved organic markets,” Botes said. “We’re also utilizing certified organic plots at our research stations in Myakka City, FL, and San Juan Bautista, CA, to steadily trial varieties adapted to areas of high disease pressure. With the advantage of Enza Zaden’s strong global portfolio and our incredible sales and R&D teams on the ground, growers and dealers can rely on Vitalis for the broadest assortment of premium organic varieties, all featuring industry-leading levels of disease resistance.”