'High quality standards’
In the heartlands of Lower Saxony, peak season has arrived as well. Regional asparagus and strawberries are traded in large quantities. At the beginning of the North German strawberry season, the strawberry quantities on offer were enormously large due to the early summer heat. At the same time, the five growers with which the Kühling company works, are not spared from the tropical temperatures and the subsequent heavy rainfall. "We are experiencing a challenging season so far," says owner Christa Kühling. Because of the initial quality problems on the strawberry fields, she even advised some growers to think about not harvesting problematic fields. “At a a certain moment, it is no use anymore, because the quality standards are very high in the current market. The complaints regarding ‘problematic’ goods then rise accordingly, and prices will drop. In a situation like that we prefer to sell small quantities of excellent quality at prices that match the cost of cultivation and harvesting.”
Since last week, however, the strawberry market has calmed down again. Due to the lower temperatures, quantities are currently decreasing significantly. “ And the quality challenges are easier to cope with at 20 degrees," says Christa Kühling. For the rest of the strawberry season, which continues until the autumn with the "frigos" and the strawberries in Langförden, the Kühling team is quite positive.
Complementary products
In addition to the fruit trade, the Kühling Fruchthandel also offers a wide selection of different packaging solutions, addressing a wide range of customers. Among their top products are cardboard packaging, wooden crates and baskets. In the field of smaller packaging, their wood pulp trays are sellling particularly well this year due to their sustainability. “ We have more and more customers asking for biodegradable packaging. For many years, we have been trading handmade wooden packaging from Eastern Europe, which is very well received by our customers,” says Kühling.
Today, the marketing of fresh strawberries, blueberries and asparagus is the seasonal core business of Kühling Fruchthandel. In close collaboration with regional farmers, the company supplies its customers with local fresh produce in the months of April to September. Although the company was involved in mushrooms during its first years in existence, these have almost disappeared from their product portfolio. Instead, packaging and harvesting accessories are an integral part of its range.
For more information:
Kühling Fruchthandel KG