Perfection Fresh (Aust)

Fresh Australian tomatoes - choice is sweet

There's been a revolution in Australia's fresh tomato industry and consumers are the big winners with more choice than ever before.

Gone are the days when tomatoes were big, round and red. Today's selection - driven by consumer demand for top-tasting varieties - includes flavoursome field or glasshouse-grown tomatoes in various sizes, shapes and colours.

Leading fresh food marketer, Perfection Fresh Australia, produces a range of specialty tomatoes including d'VineRipe® truss, The Original™ grape, The Original™ golden grape, Romatherapy® baby roma and Piccolini® cocktail. Others include cherry truss, yellow cherry and Zebrino.

From the gourmet to the everyday, each tomato in Perfection Fresh's choice selection has been developed to enhance specific characteristics - chiefly flavour, appearance, shelf life, and year `round availability.

Traits which are unique to each type include variations in skin thickness and translucency, texture, water content and acidity. Eating attributes also vary with some ideal for fresh snacking while others suit cutting, slicing or cooking. All contain the antioxidant, lycopene.

Sold vine-ripened, trussed, loose, in trays or punnets, special attention has also been paid to pack types, offering consumers choice and convenience based on household need.

Australia's fresh tomato industry - worth more than $350 million annually - is a major sales contributor to supermarkets' produce departments. With so many delicious gourmet lines available, choice is sweet.

d'VineRipe® truss: juicy yet firm all-rounder

Bold vine-ripened d'VineRipe® truss is as close to the perfect tomato as it gets. A specialty glasshouse-grown line, glossy red d'VineRipe® is large, round and all-purpose. It is ideal for slicing into sandwiches or hamburgers, yet suits barbecuing, grilling or stuffing where it holds its shape.

Outlets and availability: Sold loose by the truss, at Woolworths, Coles and independent outlets year `round.

Romatherapy® baby roma: super-healthy

Romatherapy® baby roma tomatoes are one of the prettiest and best tasting tomatoes available. These mini versions of egg-shaped romas contain twice the antioxidant - lycopene - than regular tomatoes. Perfect for snacking or in salads, pastas or finger foods.

Outlets and availability: Sold loose in 250g packs at Woolworths stores nationally. Sold loose in 400g packs under the name "Il Bello Rosso®" at Coles and both loose and on the truss in 250g packs at independents nationally. Available year `round.

Piccolini® cocktail: the entertainer's choice
Round, small-to-medium Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes have a high shine and firm truss which remains intact during cooking. Glasshouse-grown and vine-ripened, these specialty tomatoes can be roasted, grilled, stuffed, baked or sautéed on the truss, or plucked off as needed.

Outlets and availability: Sold on the truss at Woolworths stores nationally or at Coles under their variety name "Amoroso" year `round.

The Original™ grape: sweet snacking

The Original™ grape tomatoes win the kids' choice award for sweetness and snacking convenience due to their thin skin and low squirt count. The Original™ grape tomatoes are poppable, bite-size and low in acidity. Halved, they are also ideal for canapés or salads.

Outlets and availability: Sold in 200g punnets at Woolworths and independents and in 250g packs at Coles nationally year `round.

The Original™ golden grape: bright and robust

Bright yellow-orange, The Original™ golden grape tomatoes are super snacking tomatoes - perfect whole in lunchboxes, tossed through salads or sautéed. These glasshouse-grown tiny tomatoes have a sweet yet robust flavour, low acidity and thicker skin than their red cousins.

Outlets and availability: Sold exclusively in Perfection Fresh's Tomato Medley packs. Available year `round.

Il Bello Rosso® cherry truss: high impact plate appeal

Il Bello Rosso® cherry truss tomatoes are delectable, sweet and have a low seed count. The size and shape of a cherry, their appearance is enhanced by their firmly attached vine and calyx. A perfect presentation tomato, red cherry truss tomatoes suit roasting, baking, grilling or sautéeing on the truss.

Outlets and availability: Sold on the truss in 250g packs at independent retail outlets nationally. Available year `round.

Zebrino: surprising colour and wow factor

Distinctive Zebrino tomatoes have a dark red-brown skin with exotic green stripes. These small-to-medium tomatoes have a subtle-sweet, aromatic flavour and low-acidity. Once cut, their thick skin yields a deep red flesh. Zebrino tomatoes can be sautéed, grilled, stuffed or baked.

Outlets and availability: Sold exclusively in Perfection Fresh's Tomato Medley packs. Available year `round.

Yellow cherry: fun colour and snack size

Glasshouse-grown yellow cherry tomatoes are a little smaller than red cherry tomatoes. They have a thin, almost translucent skin, and pop with a burst of sweet flavour in the mouth. They lend a fun colour to salads, pastas or stir-fries. Drying concentrates their flavour.

Outlets and availability: Sold in exclusively in Perfection Fresh's Tomato Medley packs. Available year `round.

Tomato Medley: convenience and variety

Perfection Fresh's Tomato Medley pack may contain up to seven different tomatoes including The Original™ grape, The Original™ golden grape, Piccolini® cocktail, Romatherapy® baby roma, gourmet cherry, yellow cherry and Zebrino. Each pack has a minimum of four varieties.

Outlets and availability: Look for Tomato Medley at Woolworths, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland; Coles in Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania and independent outlets nationally year `round.

Storing tomatoes

Store tomatoes at room temperature and away from direct sunlight to help them ripen to perfection and enhance their flavour, texture and nutritional value. Keep tomatoes away from other fresh produce which may speed up ripening. Leave on the truss until ready to eat.