Innovating the cucumber business: Bayer hosts 3-day global high wire event in the USA

High tech vegetable production and marketing companies are facing critical changes in the market. The chain is becoming shorter, consumers are getting more decision power and producers are becoming less anonymous. In a nutshell: being innovative is crucial for today’s success.

Louis Foreman, an expert in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, started off the symposium by encouraging the participants on being innovative.

“Having a great idea whether it’s market, product or technology driven sounds brilliant, but you need to bring it to work, be fast and differentiate when you want to catch business opportunities. Knowing that is a big challenge Bayer organized a 3 day event where ‘innovation’ was put into spotlight ”. Anne Jancic, Marketing Specialist and Innovation Coach at Bayer, Vegetable Seeds

High wire growers from Europe and North America came to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and enjoyed an inspirational program on October 18th to 20th, 2017.


Starting up with a symposium on the first day they got encouraged to innovate by the keynote speakers Louis Foreman, CEO of Enventys, Edison Nation and Edison Nation Medical and Michael Agostini who talked about the food market in the US from the perspective of Walmart. The afternoon workshops were related to specific topics such as Setting your business into the spotlight, Inventive thinking, Automation and LED lighting where the participants could dive into details. In smaller work groups, they for instance, came to new market approaches one of which will hopefully turn into practice soon.

“All the speakers were great. I could’ve done another entire day of listening to speakers about robotics, the future of labor and entrepreneurs outside of our industry like Louis.” Mason Duarte, Grower at Windset Farms.

At Avery Island the growers learned in a private tour of the factory and greenhouse how the famous TABASCO hot-pepper sauce is made and got introduced to southern-style cooking.

The day after the symposium Bayer organized an Experience Day with a visit to Avery Island, where the famous TABASCO® sauce in made. In a private tour of the factory and greenhouse the growers learned how the famous hot-pepper sauce is made and got introduced to making Southern-style sauces, seafood and Tabasco ice cream.

Friday 20 October was dedicated to visiting the PMA Fresh Summit where Bayer also hosted a booth. Year after year, more than 19,000 attendees and over 1,000 exhibitors from 60 countries come together for three days of networking at the largest trade conference and exposition in the Western Hemisphere for the fresh produce industry.

“I was personally inspired by the great speakers at the event and their experience and ideas in so many different subjects which can be useful in horticulture in the future to keep the business successful. The program was arranged nicely with the combination of a seminar, visit to Avery Island to get spicy Tabasco cooking and history and then finally PMA Fresh Expo in New Orleans. This was great package!” Auvo Toivola, Helle Oy, Finland.