Germany: New Zorbau greenhouse for yearround cultivation

From November, Kaufland will be offering German tomatoes for the first time during the winter months. The vegetable ring grows the fruit, exclusively for Kaufland, in Zorbau, Saxony-Anhalt. The company built a greenhouse on an area of around 80,000 square meters. More than seventy employees will plant 180,000 seedlings for cocktail and snack tomatoes from September onwards. The tomatoes will be harvested starting November, will be packaged on site and then shipped to over the 650 Kaufland stores within hours. Customers can recognize them by the seal "Market fresh from Germany". Under this seal Kaufland offers up to 140 fruit and vegetable items from German soil.

Greenhouse tomatoes from Zorbau

Quality you can taste
"With this project we are breaking new ground. Our customers can look forward to aromatic winter tomatoes. Of a quality that you can taste," says Markus Mutz, fruit and vegetables procuror at Kaufland. "We've been working very well together with the vegetable branche for many years, developing this great project together."

Greenhouse in Zorbau (interior view)

Full aroma through ecological cultivation
The greenhouse is heated by the waste heat of the neighboring recycling plant. The closed water cycle uses 75 percent rainwater. Commercial insects play an important role in cultivation: parasitic wasps fight pests and bumblebees pollinate the plants. As the tomatoes are fertilized as needed with pesticides used sparingly, they develop their full aroma.

Healthy fruits, harvested by hand
"We will harvest around 3,000 tons of tomatoes every year. During production, we rely on manual laboor, from planting to harvesting," says Lukas Scholz from the vegetable branch. "Our goal is to produce healthy vegetables, to protect the environment and to use raw materials sparingly. That's why we opted for this integrated production. Zorbau is an ideal location. It is conveniently located on the A9. The neighbouring recycling plant supplies the energy for heating the greenhouse."

Greenhouse in Zorbau (Exterior view)

Tomatoes have it all
Tomatoes are by far the most popular German vegetables and account for around a quarter of total vegetable consumption. Every German consumes about 25 kilos of tomatoes on average. Around one-third of this comes from fresh tomatoes and two-thirds from processed products such as tomato paste and ketchup. They consist of 94 percent water and provide only 17 kilocalories per 100 grams. They also contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber. In addition, there are phytochemicals that help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, protect against cardiovascular diseases and strengthen the body's defenses (Source: Federal Center for Nutrition).

Source: Kaufland