"Although we offer strawberries, kiwi berries, vine tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines from Belgian greenhouses, the Austrians are now patriots when it comes to vegetable shopping," says Johannes Kuczera from the wholesaler bearing the same name that has its own acreage in the Vienna metropolitan area. "Regionality is very important to us and our customers."
Kuczera supplies gastronomic companies, wholesalers, caterers and many other customers with various products from their own fields, as well as imported goods. "We produce different types of pumpkin and lettuce, as well as tomatoes and herbs." Herbs such as rosemary, marjoram and basil, for example, are imported. Fresh-cut herbs are a growing segment in the fresh produce market, Kuczera notes: "The three great classics are chives, parsley and dill, but coriander, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage are important as well," said the marketer. "We offer these herbs all year round, in bundles or in 20 gr or 50 gr packs."
The company also supplies customers in the catering industry with various other specialties. "We have a convenience segment with, for example, beets, white and red cabbage and chestnuts." In addition to this, Kuczera GmbH has edible flowers in its range. "Our flowers are produced 12 months a year by a partner on the outskirts of the city and they are available within one day. The product is usually bought only by restaurateurs, but we also offer it to private customers." Colorful vegetables and rarities are also of interest to him: "There is a great motto: Eat the rainbow. The more colorful, the better for your diet. At the moment, the popularity of these products is growing enormously." An example of this is the Marschansk apple. "Gastronomers are very much interested in unknown and rare varieties."
With regard to cultivation technology, Kuczera attaches a lot of importance to both greenhouse and outdoor production, despite the general trend towards protected cultivation: "Both methods are important to us. It would be unthinkable to do without outdoor vegetables like root vegetables." In addition to this, Tropea onions, Ox heart fleshy tomatoes and Costoluto tomatoes are currently very popular.
"Our business is characterized by the wide variety of products and our proximity to the customer," says Kuczera. "Through our own cultivation, we can also respond spontaneously to current trends." In the near future, he intends to continue working on the digitization of business processes, for example by establishing a webshop for the company's products.
For more information:
Johannes Kuczera
Kuczera GmbH
Naschmarkt 374-376 und 344
1060 Wien
Tel.: +43 (0)1 587 60 52
E-Mail: info@kuczera.at
Web: www.kuczera.at