"Do you have the Aji Amarillo pepper? Can I buy the Scorpion pepper here?" Eminent Foods has been getting these kinds of questions more and more over recent years. Last year they decided to respond. After a survey was completed, a comprehensive product range was compiled. The always colorful greenhouse now contains a much more colorful collection of peppers.
"Sales were not immediately great," says Ruud Zwinkels, pepper specialist at Eminent. "The exotic peppers are pretty unknown. You have to let people know that you have them. Now we are seeing demand rising." This is also due to the mixed packages, "The mixed pack is a larger product. We sometimes get demand for a specific pepper because they like the color or the shape or the taste or the spiciness. Then you see that there is more demand. We continue to sell box by box, but that is how it works with peppers. A lot is sold at the time of harvesting."
Boycott is good for us
There is remarkably high demand for peppers from America. That may be due to the boycott, which bans the U.S. from importing from the Dominican Republic, "You notice that throughout the entire pepper market, which is totally different this year. This is beneficial for us," confirms Zwinkels. In addition, many varieties come from Central America, "Maybe that is why they are more familiar with the new varieties. In Europe, peppers have only recently become popular. Here we need wholesalers and exporters who see the benefit of creating a new market together."
Favorite peppers
Zwinkels cannot choose a favorite pepper, he loves them all too much. But if he was forced to choose he would talk about three striking peppers. First, the Pimento Padron: an elongated pepper that can be grilled and eaten as a snack, "You can cook it in oil and eat it as a snack. You can't do that with any other pepper." Second, the banana chili, "It looks like a banana, but definitely does not taste like one. It is actually a very spicy pepper." Third, the Carolina Reaper, "We are constantly looking for spicier varieties, but this pepper is the spiciest there is. They may be small, but if they are spicy they belong in this market."
For more information:
Eminent Food
ABC Westland 319
2685 DD Poeldijk
Tel: (0174) 44 55 77(0174) 44 55 77
Fax: (0174) 44 55 79
[email protected]