Wholesum Harvest Teams Up with Vitalis Organic Seeds

Wholesum Harvest and Vitalis Organic Seeds, the organic division of Enza Zaden, have teamed up to launch "Vitalis Born, Wholesum Raised"—a demonstration of commitment to organic integrity through the promotion and use of organic seed in the production of certified organic produce for retail markets.

“We arrived at this decision through rigorous trialing of genetic material under multiple organic production systems and locations combined with a varietal selection process prioritizing flavor and quality. Through this quality mark, we are demonstrating our commitment that organic agriculture should start with organic seed,” says Jessie Gunn, marketing manager at Wholesum Harvest.

Wholesum will officially brand its tomato product with the "Vitalis Born, Wholesum Raised" label indicating that the tomatoes that the company markets under its brand have been grown with organic seed. Through this rigorous process, Wholesum can stand behind the quality of their organic produce and commitment to deep sustainability.

Wholesum’s partner in this initiative, Vitalis Organic Seeds, is a breeder and producer of certified organic vegetable varieties for the professional market. Together, the companies work in collaboration to identify the best varieties for Wholesum’s production systems and markets. 

“We are able to communicate with our vegetable breeders traits that have been identified as uniquely required by organic growers. Ultimately, Vitalis can develop and choose varieties that Wholesum will brand and take to the organic marketplace,” says Erica Renaud, business development manager at Vitalis Organic Seeds.

All Vitalis seed production, handling and breeding techniques are USDA NOP certified and compliant with COR (Canada) and SAGARPA (Mexico) standards. Vitalis only uses traditional breeding techniques and is committed to non-GMO breeding. The Vitalis vegetable variety portfolio is the largest certified organic vegetable assortment in North America, say company officials, and is the result of empirical field observations and selection with organic growers in open field, tunnel and heated greenhouse production systems.