Hands of different ages, genders and races linked together in a minimalist style that evokes the iconic campaigns by the photographer Oliviero Toscani for the famous Italian fashion company, United Colors of Benetton. This is the new campaign by Semillas Fitó. Visually attractive, powerful, modern, inclusive… The company is using this campaign to renew its brand and make its commitment clear, even at first glance: ‘Improving food is in our genes.’
And it is not just a slogan. The company has devoted two years to redesigning the foundations on which its daily routine is based. An internal reflection process that demonstrates that it is not just a normal seed company and that is captured in a tangible way in its new campaign.
At the company’s open days for the specialised press, in which Fruit Today took part, Elisabet Fitó, Corporate Affairs Manager, and Israel Roca, Vegetable Marketing and Sales Manager, explained the new global brand positioning for the Vegetable division in depth. This reassessment, ‘Improving food is in our genes’, arises from the conviction of the enormous impact that seeds have as the first link in the agrifood chain, and of the company’s responsibility as part of the solution to improve food worldwide, when facing up to global challenges such as health, sustainability and food safety.
Semillas Fitó develops vegetable seeds in a context suffering from an excess of animal protein, increasing the production of the harvests to reduce hunger, increasing post-harvest as a key tool to fight against food waste and all of this without losing the focus on developing products with flavour, because “sustainability is not in conflict with enjoyment.” This work is carried out from its vocation, commitment and proximity to the producers: “we want to be in our clients’ minds. If someone thinks about vegetables, they should think about Semillas Fitó.”
To do this, the R&D team are working on obtaining more productive and resistant varieties, with greater uniformity and post-harvest (to prevent waste).
Object, vision and values
Semillas Fitó is a family-run company. It was established over 140 years ago, and over all this time it has managed to make an important place for itself worldwide with its different business divisions: Vegetables, Large Crops, Green Areas and Hobby.
Elisabet Fitó, Corporate Affairs Manager, explained that the company has been evolving to adapt to the new needs of society and of the sector itself. In 2011, they established a purpose. “We asked ourselves, what motivates us to get up in the morning? It is not just selling.” Later on, in 2021, they started another reflection process to renew this object and to go into the company’s vision in depth, along with the values that move it.
Its purpose is to ‘Generate sustainable wealth throughout the agrifood chain through seeds, thanks to accomplished and committed teams.’ “We are passionate about what we do. We set challenges and we are flexible when proposing solutions based on our experience and knowledge.” This professionalism is accompanied by proximity: “We are an accessible organisation. We generate trust in our clients, suppliers and work colleagues.” The latter, companionship and teamwork are essential: “We reach our goals in a collaborative and respectful way. We always look for an environment of respect, commitment and mutual support.”
Regarding the Vision of the Vegetable division, the breeder wants to “Be the partner expert in seeds on a worldwide scale in fruit, vegetables & large seeds”.
State-of-the-art technology in R&D
During the visit to Semillas Fitó’s installations, they informed us of the company’s latest advances in technology.
The company is one of the breeders devoting the highest percentage on this aspect, almost 30% of its annual invoicing. Within this chapter, over the last year it has paid out 2 million euros to carry out one of its most outstanding advances, the start-up of 7 phytotrons that have put the company on the frontline, along with the development of a high technology greenhouse.
The construction of the 7 phytotrons and a new germination and acclimating room mean an expansion of 450 square metres in the Cabrera de Mar installations, its main R&D centre in Spain. Meanwhile, the greenhouse is located in its premises in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres.
Thanks to this technology they can cut the development time for new commercial varieties by up to 4 years. The key lies in their wide range of configuration possibilities (temperature, humidity, CO2, photoperiod, intensity and spectral composition of the light for a crop), all of this, also free from virus and pathogens. “These installations allow us to have plants in ideal growing conditions 12 months of the year,” explained Jordi Quilis, Biotech Manager, and José Luis Couselo, Plant Science and Pathology Manager.
