Florida
Vine-ripe Tasti-Lee tomato creates a buzz among consumers
The University of Florida's tomato breeding program has hit a home run with Tasti-Lee, a truly vine-ripe tomato with a home-grown taste, deep red color and high lycopene levels.
Jay Scott, the UF tomato breeder responsible for Tasti-Lee, points to the continued stream of consumer e-mails he receives asking where they can buy the fruit as evidence of its popularity.
So different is the entire production and marketing program that Brix isn't even a singular goal.
"We don't talk about Brix," says Greg Styers, sales and product development for Bejo Seeds Inc. in Swannanoa, N.C. "We talk about the balance of flavors.
"What we're going for is that old-time home garden flavor."
Bejo Seeds is the exclusive distributor of Tasti-Lee seeds.
Home gardeners can contact Twilly Seed at (800) 622-7333 for seed.
Despite the variety's apparent success, it hasn't been an easy road, Scott and Styers say.
Scott spent 10 years developing the variety using conventional breeding techniques. Many of the traits responsible for flavor were linked to other undesirable characteristics.
At the same time, five years were spent to develop a brand and market for the variety, Styers says.
Tasti-Lee is being marketed by Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets in five southeastern states.
San Antonio, Texas-based H-E-B will market them in Texas.
Tasti-Lee is positioned as a premium tomato and features identifying decals and point-of-sale placards.
"It's not easy to brand produce," Styers says.
Changing growers' mindset hasn't been easy, either.
"It's been a struggle to convince growers that they could grow truly vine-ripe tomatoes," he says. "The first question they ask is,'How does it handle gas?'"
The answer is Tasti-Lee is never exposed to ethylene, Styers says.
Bejo Seeds is registering growers to produce the crop.
Styers compared it to franchising a brand, where growers will have to meet specific quality standards in order to affix the Tasti-Lee decal to the fruit.
So far, the firm has two growers registered in Florida and one in North Carolina.
"Each of the registered growers is reaching out to other Florida growers to grow the product for them," he says. "We're bringing on as many in Florida as it makes sense."
A handful of California growers have grown Tasti-Lee as part of a field trial, and it seems to do well there.
"The flavor is pretty resilient under a lot of growing conditions," Scott says.
He says maintaining the initial quality will be key to expanding the brand.
The next step is to add resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl virus, tomato spotted wilt virus and Fusarium crown rot to Tasti-Lee.
Scott and fellow UF tomato breeder Sam Hutton are using marker-assisted selection to add those traits as quickly as possible, all the while keeping taste at the forefront.
"We have to make sure that when we get the new disease-resistance genes that we don't wreck anything with the flavor," Scott says.
Who cares how they look. It's what they taste like that matters. I rarely buy tomatoes in the supermarket anymore. They look pretty, but that's about it. Very disappointing and a waste of money.
I agree with you Marta. Try buying the Ugli Ripe tomatoes--they are usually ugly but very tasty. Also, some of the grape tomatoes are pretty good. I grow my own, out of frustration.
I agree with you Marta. Try buying the Ugli Ripe tomatoes--they are usually ugly but very tasty. Also, some of the grape tomatoes are pretty good. I grow my own, out of frustration.
John, you got that right. I love the Ugly Ripe tomatoes.
I agree with John -there is no comparision! Ugly ripes rock!!
Tasti -lees- are not so tasty. Ugly ripes are the best!
Seems to me that while they claim no GMO/GM there is no way this can be regular conventional breeding. I breed tomatoes: no way.
And it's not "taste" that matters: let's be clear here: nutrition is what matters.
Increasing brix means increasing sugars: just what fatty America needs: sugar in their tomatoes.
Idiots.
First LET a average consumer clear everyone up! TASTE IS WHAT MATTERS. The fact that we can get a child to eat ANY and I mean ANY vegetables is a miracle. So if what you call a "BRICK" content is all you care about then you haven't battled any child who hates vegetables. My children all eat the Ugly ripe. So before you run your mouth please know what you are talking about. Lets all cheer for the vegetable kids will eat. GO UGLY RIPES!
As the author of this article and editor of Citrus + Vegetable Magazine, I didn't write it before first tasting the Tasti-Lee. While I admit it's not quite a home-grown tomato, it's a lot closer than the mature greens or vine ripes they currently are selling. You can have something that's really nutritious. But if it doesn't taste good, people aren't going to eat it. Case in point: parsnips.
I shop at Publix and I have tried both the Tasti-Lee and UglyRipe tomatoes. It’s like Coke and Pepsi. They taste different. My choice is the UglyRipe tomatoes.
The best tasting tomato I have had since picking and eating one from my grandmothers back yard. I shop at the Publix in Auburn Al and they are flying out the door. This is a home run for the consumer.
The best tasting tomato I have had since picking and eating one from my grandmothers back yard. I shop at the Publix in Auburn Al and they are flying out the door. This is a home run for the consumer.
All of your efforts have paid off and we are reaping the benefits. We love the Tasti-Lees.
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