Staff story - Eva Sarosi

“My grandfather always wanted to be a horticulturist, but his family was poor, and they couldn’t afford for him to study,” Eva recalls.

“One day he made up his mind to walk to the agriculture university, which was 140 km away. He packed his belongings and left home before everyone woke. That’s how badly he wanted to have this as a profession.

“His dad and other relatives, at that time travel was by horse, caught him and he got punished badly. They dragged him home and he could never have this thing.”

After serving in the second world war and becoming a prisoner of war in Siberia for three years, Eva’s grandfather escaped, returned to Hungary, and met his future wife. They bought a property with large garden where he grew fruits and vegetables. It wasn’t a farm or a business, but his pride and joy.

“Throughout my childhood, I heard that story many times and it made me sad. When it was time to pick a university, I thought, ‘That's what I want to do, and I did. One month after I started, he passed away. That’s a legacy we keep.”

Eva studied at the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science before landing job with a vegetable breeding company. It was here she worked with Gita Gyuros, a woman of her mother’s generation, who was a trailblazer for women in the horticultural industry.

“Gita was a breeder and helped create the first hybrid capsicum varieties for Hungary,” Eva says.

“I learned a lot from her and at that time, it was unique to me that a woman could achieve so much in her career while having a family, and a husband who worked as a university professor.”

Eva Sarosi, Rijk Zwaan representative in Queensland.

In 2015, Eva and her husband, Peter, moved to Australia.

“We had just two large suitcases and a big dream to start a new life. We wanted to experience a new culture, meet new people, and have lots of fun. Now, 10 years later, we have two beautiful boys, a forever home, jobs we enjoy, and a life far from home that we love, even on the tough days.”

Eva joined Rijk Zwaan Australia in 2017 and began her journey as a Trial Coordinator in Gatton, Queensland. After having her first child, she transitioned to the Sales Team as a Sales Representative for Southeast Queensland.

“In Australia, the challenge is that I will never be able to speak as good, or understand the language as well as the locals,” Eva says.

“Unlike when I started my career in Europe, I haven’t had any comments about being a female or being a mum, I just hear more and more that females are working harder or pushing themselves more because that’s how we can be recognised,

“Growers have often told me that females are very time effective – generally we are trying to achieve more within a limited time because when your day is finished, you go home and do your second shift!”

When reflecting on her career and highlights, Eva says it’s not a particular variety that stands out, but the relationships she has formed with growers.

“When I have a meeting with a grower and they say, 'Well done', or when they are looking through the trial and they tell me, “Eva that was very nice, that was a nice trial,” or I get comments that I am a good person – these are the kinds of things that stand out in my career,

“The relationship that you build with a grower is the most important thing, and everything else will come after. If they don’t like you, you can’t achieve much, even with good varieties, but if you work hard, they will be happier to look at the trials and work with you.”

Eva comments that there are more women in the industry now and her advice to new starters is to seize opportunities and work hard.

“A mistake I made was putting off starting a family because I was worried how it would impact my career but having a family while building a career is doable, especially with Rijk Zwaan because our company is very supportive,

“Without any relatives or many friends here, I wanted to work for a company where I could establish close relationships with my colleagues. A place where we could talk about more than just work and business, sharing personal stories, laughs, and creating good memories. For me, Rijk Zwaan Australia is that place.”

Eva, together with her son.