Denmark: Conquering the market with “Crisp Salat“

“I am absolutely convinced of this product,” Helge Højland says and lets the tender and freshly harvested leaves of Salanova variety Seneca RZ trickle through his fingers back into the box.

Since 2008, Højland, managing partner of the Danish company Lykkegården, has invested the equivalent of 2,5million euro into the production and commercial launch of mechanically harvested lettuce. Højland has been growing Salanova in Denmark since 2002. At that time, the lettuce was marketed as whole heads on the supermarket vegetable shelves. In early 2008, Højland launched Salanova under the protected brand name “Crisp Salat” in Denmark and some neighbouring countries.


Jürgen Parschau, sales representative, Rijk Zwaan Welver GmbH

“These kinds of lettuce press home their full advantage when cut and packed in bags: a tender and bite-sized lettuce leaf which stays crisp and fresh for a long time when well stored,” Højland explains. For this reason, he started with high density planting and mechanical harvest of these lettuce types in 2007. each crop is cut twice at least, often even a third time to reach a yield of 4,5 kg/m². “The high productivity justifies the relatively high planting costs of this production method,” Højland says.

The varieties planted are the Salanova varieties Archimedes RZ, Seneca RZ
(both green Salanova multi-leaf butterhead lettuce), Gaugin RZ, Renoir RZ
(both red Salanova multi-leaf butterhead lettuce), Explore RZ, Expedition RZ (both green Salanova Sweet Crisp Frisée), Saigon RZ (triple-red Salanova incisedleaf
lettuce), and Korbi RZ, a very fine curled-leaved endive variety.




Quality has top priority

When marketing his products, Højland focuses on top quality. Cutting the lettuce
three times is no contradiction to that. He explains: “When the harvesting machine does not cut too deep, no leaves with brown margins are harvested. After 10 days enough herbage has regrown for another harvest.”

Approx. 75% of this production are grown organically which means an additional
sales pitch. Danish lettuce producers work close to organic growing anyway
due to very restrictive Danish plant protection regulations. In lettuce growing, e.g.,
no herbicides are approved. This is why Højland has been planting Salanova on
biodegradable mulch film since the beginning of the season 2009.

The planting machine performs three tasks: Not only does it lay out the film and do the planting, but it also lays the hoses for drip irrigation. this kind of irrigation is
necessary as most of the rain water drains off the film and does not reach the lettuce in advanced development stage in the central rows of the planting bed. In
the first two weeks of the culture, Højland irrigates with the gun sprinkler and afterwards changes to drip irrigation. This kind of irrigation provides the opportunity of complementary fertilization, especially for organic production. An injector system,
which admixes molasses to the irrigation water, has been coupled to the irrigation
facility.



Optimal product positioning is essential

A further advantage of the mulch film is that the lettuce remains clean even after
strong precipitation. this enables Højland to market his organic cut lettuce ready to
prepare as well as ready to eat. the busy gardener and businessman regards the
ready-to-eat variant as the more logically consistent realization of the convenience
concept with further sales potentials.

Højland’s experience shows that not only product, price, and promotion are decisive
for successful sales, but also the optimal positioning in the stores. His product
has become, in any case, a top seller in supermarkets nearby where Højland himself
could influence the positioning of his product.

For further information visit:
www.crisp-salat.dk
www.lykkegaarden.dk
www.salanova.com

Source: vwww.rijkzwaan.nl

Publication date: 10/6/2009

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