Photo: Dawid Nowak and Katarzyna Winowicz with their family. Owners of New Botoma, who cultivate tomatoes on 20 hectares—today mainly pink varieties.

Imagine a pink tomato whose taste instantly takes you back to carefree summer days of childhood. Now, consider that such a fruit is grown in one of the most technologically advanced greenhouses in Poland. What is the secret to such quality?

At New Botoma, it is the result of daringly combining family tradition, passion, and openness to innovation.

The farm's greatest strength lies in consciously drawing from many sources: the dedicated work of an experienced team, continuous development, and partnerships with advisors. New Botoma collaborates with Grodan, a supplier of innovative growing media, the precise GroSens monitoring system, and specialized advisory support characterized by deep knowledge and experience. This synergy allows the owners of New Botoma to pursue ambitious goals and create a greenhouse for the future, whose main trademark is the perfect pink tomato.

Watch our conversation with Dawid Nowak during a visit to New Botoma's facilities

Horticulture Begins with Passion

“Horticulture has been with me since childhood, always. Passion is in my blood,” Dawid Nowak begins his story. Together, Dawid and his wife Katarzyna have built one of the most modern farms in Poland, focusing primarily on pink tomatoes—the favourite of Polish consumers. The key to success? Continuous development, adapting technology, and never giving up in the face of challenges.

“Modern horticulture is so much more than just growing plants. We need to know finance, HR, prepare for each season, secure proper supplies, and invest in seedlings,” lists Dawid Nowak. “What matters most, though, is the pursuit of quality. It’s a carefully selected team, attention to greenhouse climate, and constant control at every stage of production that allow us to achieve the excellent, tasty crops that New Botoma tomatoes are famous for.”

Technology that Opens New Possibilities

Automation is changing day-to-day operations in the greenhouse, but its main goal is always the quality of the end product. New Botoma is a place where technology works hand in hand with the knowledge and experience of the grower. Autonomous trolleys efficiently transport harvests through the greenhouse, while modern personnel management systems improve coordination across the large team. “We believe that only by maintaining the highest standards at every stage of production can our tomatoes taste so good and look so appealing on store shelves,” observes Dawid Nowak.

Photo: Autonomous trolleys, an automated sorting station, and modern packaging systems directly influence the freshness and flawless appearance of tomatoes, which are packed immediately after harvest.

Equally important, as Dawid notes, are innovative cultivation solutions—Grodan slabs and the GroSens monitoring system allow constant, real-time control over growing and irrigation conditions, from any location. This comprehensive automation and ongoing supervision ensure that quality production is maintained even on such a large scale and despite the many duties of an entrepreneur.

Support from Grodan Advisors — A Partnership that Pays Off

“Production is also supported by Grodan advisors, who can always be relied upon. In difficult situations, they share their experience and knowledge,” adds the owner of New Botoma. “This is invaluable help when managing a large greenhouse and tackling daily challenges.”

Grodan advisors are present at every stage of the production cycle, sharing knowledge of the latest trends and technologies, as well as analysing specific cases using real farm data. Such support makes every day work in the greenhouse easier. Regular contact with advisors means quicker responses to changes and faster resolution of both production and organizational challenges in the greenhouse. “This is real support, which translates directly into better crop results and smooth operation of our production,” says Mr. Nowak.

Photo: Measurement tools like GroSens and Grodan advisors provide tangible help in cultivating high-quality tomatoes.

Ambition, Independence, and Growth

New Botoma does not rest on its laurels—new challenges are a constant part of daily greenhouse life. The owners are always looking for ways to improve their production. For them, tomato quality is paramount. Starting their own propagation is the next step toward full control over every stage of cultivation. “We want to be sure our tomatoes are perfect from the very beginning,” emphasizes Dawid Nowak.

At the same time, intensive work is underway to further automate processes—both in production and logistics. Investments in modern solutions are intended not only to streamline daily operations but also to ensure reliability and repeatability of results as their scale grows.

This approach proves that at New Botoma, the desire for development and openness to innovation go hand in hand with respect for plants and adherence to the highest production standards. It's horticulture that is modern but still practiced with passion and responsibility.

Photo: At New Botoma, passion and innovation intertwine with the daily pursuit of perfection. The investment in an automated sorting station is the best example of this.

The future of low-energy growing

In the second year of their joint low-energy tomato trial, Grodan and Signify together with other industry-leading partners have once again demonstrated that a holistic approach to all aspects of cultivation – lighting, irrigation, nutrition and climate management – makes it possible to save more than 50% of the energy required for heating.

Growing media and the efficient use of nutrients Whitepaper

Growing media and the efficient use of nutrients

One of the 15 global challenges formulated by the Millenium project is “How can population growth and resources be brought into balance?“ One aspect of this challenge is improving the use efficiency of the global resources e.g. nutrients. These nutrients are just as important to agriculture as water.