"It can be eaten as if it were a carrot, as it has no filaments. It is crispy, sweet, with the slight bitter touch that is typical of asparagus, and it is perfect for salads," says José María Naranjo, marketing director of the Extremadura-based company Tany Nature.
José María Naranjo points out that normally, consumers can only use 75% of the product when they buy conventional imported asparagus. "With this one, although it has a slightly higher price, they will be using 100% of the product, so it really is better value for money."
At the moment, Tany Nature has 112 hectares devoted to the cultivation of this asparagus in Badajoz. It is harvested between 15 January and early April, making it the earliest asparagus in the northern hemisphere. "It is conceived as a local product for Europe, an alternative to the asparagus produced in countries such as Mexico and Peru, with a significantly lower carbon footprint. Not only are they more sustainable than imported asparagus, but they are also tastier and fresher," he says.
According to José María Naranjo, although this product has been developed with the idea of it being exported to all countries in the world, "we have realised that it is in the domestic market and in Europe where we are seeing the most demand."
"Our goal is to achieve quality peaks with products that, due to the climatic and soil characteristics of the area, stand out in the market, as in the case of plums, our specialty in stone fruit." With this same policy, we believe that we can fill a gap in the asparagus market, with a totally different product resulting from the use of special cultivation techniques."
For more information:
José María Naranjo
Tany Nature
Camino General. 1. Zurbarán. Badajoz. Spain.
T:+34 924 856 096
jnaranjo@tany.es
www.tanynature.com