Visitors at the Fruit Logistica 2022 trade show cast their vote for the most innovative product, choosing a new tomato variety from the Granada La Palma grower’s cooperative as the winner. 

According to a statement from the event organizers, the Amela tomato was also voted the top product last year, although it occurred without the actual in person event. This year, the tomato picked up around two thirds of all the votes.

The Amela tomato has an intense aroma, a high Brix value and many nutrients and amino acids. The know-how for growing this plant, which tastes almost as sweet as a fruit, comes from two cultures. The idea originally came from Japan in 1996, and the variety is currently being cultivated in southern Spain using traditional methods, the statement said.

Pedro Ruiz, President of Granada La Palma said that "for a Spanish cooperative like La Palma, this recognition, having had 90 nominations, being nine nominees and having competed with multinational companies means a lot, especially, because the tomato situation is complicated worldwide. It is a great honor to receive such an important recognition at the most important trade show in the world. But it is not only about Amela. This price will also bring recognition to the tomato as a whole, which always had a high value in Europe as a product which exists in every household.", 

The silver FLIA went to Tevel Advanced Technologies from Israel for their flying autonomous robot, whose ability in flight to pinpoint individual berries from an optimum position and angle is controlled by AI algorithms and computer vision.

The bronze FLIA went to the winners of the 2020 competition, Syngenta Seeds from the Netherlands. In 2012, two employees discovered a cauliflower with side shoots. After years of testing, breeding and tasting, the company introduced istem 2021 to the market in the UK. The stalks are very tender and taste nutty and sweet, so that the cauliflower can be eaten raw or cooked.