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The first Tommies snackveggies – you can hear it in the name – were tomatoes. Sweet cherry tomatoes; prune tomatoes, grown from seed of the Japanese refinement company Sakata. In 2005 the first bags of Tommies came off the conveyor belt. Two tomato growers from Hollands Westland, brothers in law Ab van Marrewijk and Jos van Mil, started the quest for a healthy, extra sweet tomato. They did so because they were aware that children ate meer sweet stuff and less tomatoes. With their concept of snackveggies these innovative glasshouse workers introduced a healthy substitute for candy, which – as we all know – consists mainly of sugar.
Marketing approach
The idea struck home. As a healthy snack for the young and the old Tommies became wellknown very quickly. The cherry tomato got a lot of attention by the media, as it was portrayed as a healthy weapon against too much weight with adults and unhealthy munch habits with children. The marketing approach mainly focused on the aspects of reputation and tasting. Everywhere the target group showed its face, the clowns of Tommies promotion team were there, to encourage as many people as possible to take a bite and taste Tommies. With success. Even Queen Beatrix knows her Tommies, almost from the start of the concept. While she visited the Westland on 11 November 2005, she already tasted her first Tommie
Attraction
A few months after the introduction people already could buy their Tommies at more than 400 shops. Spread over the country at the 350 Plusmarkt shops and in Noord-Holland at the 47 stores of Deen Supermarkt. Also in the region of the Westland and Den Haag, various shops and supermarkets immediately showed interest in the snackveggies. Sometimes even not so obvious shops were interested, like Intratuin and Jamin at the Spuistraat in Den Haag.
Breakthrough
The concept is respected on a national and international scale and is considered to be a breakthrough when it comes to AGF marketing. As early as in the introduction period Tommies snackveggies were nominated for the AGF trend award. A few months later, in 2006, Greenery Greenco, chooses the creators and producers of Tommies as Greenery Breeder Of The Year. Many prices and nomanations follow after that.
Supermarkets
In the meantime Tommies are to be found near the counter or the grocerie department at all major supermarkets, at specialized grocerie shops, canteens of companies and clubs, and more and more at gas stations. Can't find them? Ask for Tommies, snackveggies, always.
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