Traditional vegetable varieties new at Alnatura

Now, at the beginning of the harvest, Alnatura is once again offering "old" vegetable varieties from regional and seasonal organic farms, this time with an even more comprehensive range of 15 products. In cooperation with the nonprofit organisation ProSpecieRara, which is committed to the preservation of endangered crops and the preservation of biological diversity, all Alnatura natural supermarkets offer a regionally specific range. Tomatoes, courgettes, radishes, aubergines, kohlrabi or potatoes: all 15 traditional vegetables are characterized by their intense taste and sometimes unusual colors and shapes. For example, the eggplant "rotonda bianca sfumata di rosa" has light violet and white stripes and the Langovale potato "Blaue [blue] St. Galler" retains its intense blue color even once cooked.

The "Tondo di Piacenza" belongs to the traditional Italian courgette varieties and is characterized by its spherical shape, its rich dark green color and its intense taste.

In contrast to the popular generic varieties, "old" vegetable varieties are optimally adapted to geographical, climatic and also cultural conditions. This makes them more resistant and also more taste-intensive. However, the traditional country varieties are being pushed further and further away from the "normal" vegetables. According to World Health Organisation(WHO), around 90 percent of the old varieties have been lost in Germany since the 20th century. 18 organic farmers from different regions of Germany planted the vegetable rarities depending on the soil texture and crop rotation and supply to the Alnatura branches of regional organic wholesalers. Only the French ox-heart tomatoes are cultivated in the country of origin. Iris Förster, Managing Director of ProSpecieRara, underlines the importance of diversity in the fields: "Standardized vegetables are often at the expense of taste and lead to monotony in the fields. Due to climate change, the weather in Germany is increasingly diverse, with hot spells or days of heavy rain. Farmers need plants that can adapt to changing environmental conditions or can be used for the breeding of new varieties."

About ProSpecieRara
ProSpecieRara is a nonprofit foundation. It was launched in Switzerland in 1982 to protect endangered livestock breeds and crop plants from extinction. In 2011, together with the Kaiserstühler Garten Foundation, the nonprofit company ProSpecieRara Deutschland was founded: it focuses on crops and helps the traditional varieties be available for all to experience.

Source: ots/Alnatura