Tozer Seed's “Flower Sprout®” has been in development for 15 years, the inspiration behind the new vegetable was the desire to create a Brussels sprout with a more subtle flavour which was easy to prepare, versatile and looked great. The result a brand new vegetable which looks a little like a tiny open cabbage with green frilly leaves and streaks of purple.
According to Jamie Claxton from Tozer Seeds, it will grow well anywhere suitable for Brussels Sprout and Kale production. "The Flower Sprout® is a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale, the result is a plant which has a habit similar to that of a Brussels sprout but which forms rosettes up the stem to a frilly-leaved top. The product gets its fantastic flavour by combining the complex taste of the sprout with the mild, sweet 'nutty' taste of the kale."
Jamie explains that the Flower Sprout® is a new and unique vegetable. It was developed to meet the demands of the modern domestic kitchen: ease of preparation, versatility and great flavour.
Ease of preparation: all that is required is a simple rinse.
Versatile: Flower Sprouts® can be boiled, steamed, stir fried, roasted and microwaved. They can be eaten as a stand-alone vegetable or can be incorporated into more complex recipes.
Great flavour: throughout the breeding process attention was paid to flavour. It was important for Flower Sprouts® to be milder and sweeter than Brussels sprouts, as this flavour was perceived to be off-putting for many consumers.
"On the plate Flower Sprout® is also a very attractive vegetable, green rugose leaves are highlighted by flashes of purple veining. In the field the Flower Sprout® seems to be less susceptible to traditional Brussels sprout diseases and also is more winter hardy, meaning that the grower is less at risk of losing crop." Nutritional analysis suggests that Flower Sprout also packs a significant health benefit, Flower Sprouts® have twice as much vitamin E and B6 as Brussels Sprouts and 100g contains two thirds of the RDA of vitamin C.
Manor Fresh have had exclusive rights to grow the vegetable, but this has now ended and the seeds are now being sold to several other large UK growers.
The Flower Sprout® is also available in New Zealand, Australia, across Europe and the USA and Tozer Seeds hope to extend the availability further in the coming year.
The Flower Sprout® was first trial launched in Marks and Spencer in 2010. It is a seasonal vegetable and has returned to their shelves this year. From early 2013 Flower Sprout will be launched into Waitrose and Tesco. The Flower Sprout® has proved very popular with a fantastic amount of repeat purchases. In its first year on sale it very quickly was matching Pak Choi in terms of sales.
For more information:
Hannah ParkerTozer Seeds
Tel: +44 (0)1932 862059
Email: Hannah.Parker@tozerseeds.com
www.flower-sprout.com
www.tozerseeds.com