Like all vegetable distributors, Vitfrisch eG has been experiencing a difficult outdoor season so far. The cabbage business was rather abysmal, with catastrophic oversupply since the beginning of winter. "Stocks of local red and white cabbage are plentiful and continue to push down prices. There is currently no relief in sight,” says managing director Christian Pielken. In addition, partner companies in South Europe have been struggling with quality issues and shortage of goods in recent weeks. Only kale was a positive exception: the North German stocks have already been harvested and therefore we have switched to Spanish, French and Italian products. Although there were some violet-colored leaves here as well, the savoy cabbage does not react as strongly as cauliflower or broccoli to cold influences. As a result, the supply of goods covers the demand and prices are quite normal at this time.”
Fruit vegetables
As temperatures are gradually rising, the customer’s focus is shifting to the typical spring products. Soon, the regional greenhouse producers will be able to offer fruit vegetables from their own vineyards. Pielken: “Now we are mainly getting goods from Spain, but in the next two to three weeks, this will gradually change in a big way and we will bring the first tomatoes and cucumbers on the market. For cucumbers, we expect to be able to offer greenhouse products in early April.”
Mini-vegetables such as snack tomatoes and cucumbers also have a place in food retailing today. Pielken: "German cucumber production has stabilized somewhat over the last few years. The production of cucumbers is mainly done in the Benelux. The growth potential is there and this is recognized by the production companies. In the tomato sector, the trend is also towards aromatic, cocktail products with a high Brix content such as the Lyterno.” A similar tendency, however, exists with outdoor vegetables where coloured varieties such as purple cauliflower and red pointed cabbage in particular age gradually prevailing. “Breeders and traders are always trying to bring new varieties or different coloured varieties of different sizes and grades to market to make the somewhat stagnant market for outdoor vegetables more interesting to consumers.”
For more information:
For more information:
Vitfrisch eG
Location Soest
Sassendorfer Weg 19
59494 Soest
Tel.: 02 92 1 / 893 - 110
Fax: 02 92 1 / 893 - 260
E-Mail: info@vitfrisch.de
Web: www.vitfrisch.de