Heinz is one of those ubiquitous brands that everyone recognizes, like Coca-Cola or McDonald’s. The H.J. Heinz Company was founded in 1869 and has been producing ketchup since 1876, and through numerous innovations, Heinz remains at the top of its game.

HeinzSeed is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the tomatoes used in Heinz products. Through a rigorous hybrid breeding program, HeinzSeed continually develops new and better tomato varieties that are prized for specific attributes like high yield, disease resistance, viscosity, and brix° (rich flavor). The breeding program is strictly non-GMO, so each variety takes up to seven years to develop. The seeds are then sold to distributors throughout the world. In fact, HeinzSeed provides one-third of the world’s hybrid, processing tomato seeds.

Seeds of concern
It’s crucial for HeinzSeed to maintain regular, valuable communications with its many clients. With international customers spread throughout different time zones and multiple stages of tomato development, finding a vehicle for communication is tough.

HeinzSeed knew that an eNewsletter was the right move, but the biggest roadblock was the time involved. Newsletters don’t just create themselves! The time needed to generate ideas, design the format, write the articles, and learn the sending protocol was more than HeinzSeed could dedicate.

Making relationships grow
That’s why HeinzSeed’s marketing partner, AngelVision Technologies, recommended it team up with Proven Systems last year to produce its email newsletter. Now, with its quarterly eNewsletter, HeinzSeed World, HeinzSeed meets several objectives with its seed distributors:

• Makes them feel a part of the team
• Informs them of the latest advances in technology and new product development
• Provides tools that enhance their marketing efforts
• Enables them to reach new customers

Bountiful harvest
This vital communication happens quarterly with little effort from Dale Smith, the manager of Global Seed Business for HeinzSeed. Smith says he’s pleased about the amount of time he has to put toward the newsletter production.

“The concept, as advertised, seemed too good to be true! However, very little time was required to put each newsletter together,” Smith says. “The process went smoothly and the end product was a high quality, very professional looking eNewsletter.”

HeinzSeed has an international, deeply held reputation to maintain. Happily, its newsletter matches the branding and level of expertise its customers expect.