Through Google, fruit grower Domus de Jonge from Kapelle found out about hardy kiwis a few years ago. "We're really in it for the long haul, because worldwide hardly any knowledge is available on the cultivation. Recently we took an important step by starting a partnership with eighteen players from the entire chain. We decided to go for it with these parties during the coming years. This ranges from product propagation, to cooling, sorting and sales. That way, we hope to achieve results in a straightforward manner."
Domus de Jonge
Sales through Nature's Pride
"We soon saw that retail is the most important sales channel for hardy kiwis, but you can't easily enter into that as a grower. That's why we started a partnership with Nature's Pride for the coming years, who will sell the entire harvest for us", Domus says. "In 2018 we will decide whether to scale up the cultivation further. Meanwhile, apples and pears are still the main focus of our company, and we'll have to make money there. The success of the hardy kiwis will determine whether it will remain like this."
Domus says he has learned a lot the past few years about hardy kiwi cultivation. "It's really been pioneering work, but that doesn't matter, because during that time a demand market has been created. You learn to think conceptually this way and start asking different questions, also in top fruit. Globally, hardy kiwis are an overwhelmingly little-grown crop. Now it falls to us to extend our lead, and stay ahead of the competition. I see a lot of potential in the product, and would even go so far as to call hardy kiwis the product of the future, but perhaps I won't live to see that."
Storage
"We are hard at work doing tests to store hardy kiwis for fifteen weeks in cold storage. If we succeed in that, sales would offer a lot of potential. But it's a long road, and a lot of questions are still unanswered. Business-wise, I wouldn't recommend anyone to enter into the cultivation. Years will go by before we are able to scale up the cultivation. Through partnering with eighteen parties, however, we do have the necessary 'body' to continue for years to come. Fortunately in our company we don't suffer from a disease like PSA, something ordinary kiwis are afflicted with."
In addition to the national market, Domus sees the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom as the most important markets for hardy kiwis. The hardy kiwis are packaged in 125 gram shakers under the Ready-to-Eat label. Prices are currently in the upper segment. Domus isn't afraid of large kiwi players like Zespri to enter into hardy kiwi cultivation. "I don't think they need hardy kiwis. And if they wanted to, they'd have done so long before."
Processing
For so-called 'scrump', the entrepreneur has thought of a solution as well. Hardy kiwis with a dent or a mark find their way to liqueur and gin. Finally, Domus also sees a lot of potential in cosmetics. "We work together with CRB Benelux in Maastricht, which is testing raw materials and techniques to find new formulas and products for make-up, skin and hair care. It's apparently very good for protecting against wrinkles!"
For more information:
Domus de Jonge
KG Fruit
Oostambachtweg 1
4421 RM Kapelle
domus.de.jonge@kgfruit.nl
www.kgfruit.nl