Good tasting vegetables are not about growing fast. Corporations like hydroponics because it allows them to easily grow large crops as fast as possible. Most vegetables grown in hydroponics are grown to target growth vs taste. When you grow something in soil the vegetable takes in a lot of minerals that are not needed for its growth, those add to the flavor of the vegetable. Without those trace minerals the end product is devoid of flavor and generally taste like water. If you have ever tasted lettuce grown in hydroponics vs lettuce grown in the dirt , the flavor is totally different.
Apples are another thing that are heavily influenced by location grown and when picked. Buy some apple juice and notice the country of origin for the juice. Juice from China will have a bitter flavor, Argentina is sweeter. Both happen to use the same variety apples , the difference is in the length of the growing season and when they have to be picked.
The same goes for tomatoes. The good species that have that wonderful flavor are not grown for retail sale because they have a few problems. They do not keep long after being picked, they are easily damaged in shipping, they are not as disease tolerant requiring more maintenance . The result is tomatoes in stores that have thick skins, hard interior flesh and very little flavor.