"Asparagus is prohibitively expensive"

Easter is just around the corner, a celebration when many people want to eat something special. Restaurant proprietors are doing their best to make their menus attractive. Asparagus is a vegetable that's often on the menu for these holidays. A premium is being paid for it at the moment. According to Erwin Verhaegen of wholesaler Horeca 2000 from Brussels, the price difference between the Belgian and Peruvian asparagus is very big. Horeca 2000 supplies a lot to restaurants in Brussels.

"I have already sold a huge amount of asparagus this week, but it is prohibitively expensive. Demand for it is very high. Currently, the Belgian and Dutch asparagus are selling for 22 euros per kilo, that is 110 euros per crate. Still, everyone wants asparagus for Easter." He notes that a lot of Peruvian asparagus has been sold as well. "The price difference between these two is very big. The Peruvian ones cost 10 euros per kilo." He sees the same thing happening as a few years ago. "We had an early Easter then as well, and because of the cold weather it was extremely expensive."

Erwin thinks it's a shame that many restaurants take asparagus off the menu after Easter. "I advise them to actually keep it on the menu, but unfortunately that doesn't happen for everyone. My advice would be not to include this vegetable in a standard Easter menu anyway, but only have it available separately. Otherwise it will soon become too expensive."

Prime Minister Charles Michel
Mid-March, Mabru had a distinguished visitor. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel visited the wholesale market. "That was a special promotion for the wholesale market, and it was good to have him there. I regularly talk to him, and I'm happy that he is so engaged with the hospitality industry," Erwin says. "He's going for lower social security costs and a more flexible time policy. I think there's a turning point at the moment. The hospitality industry is going through a difficult time, and is hardly given the chance to do its job. Something has to be done, and it looks like it will be now."

Erwin (left) and Charles Michel (right)

He also felt the difficult years in the restaurant business himself. "A few years ago, some of my clients were facing bankruptcy, and I had trouble keeping my head above water. In recent months we have grown again, fortunately, so hopefully we'll see some improvement now. I think the most difficult period is behind us."

For more information:
Erwin Verhaegen
Horeca 2000
Mabru/Werkhuizenkaai 20-22
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32(0)2241 1386
Fax: +32(0)2241 4725