Expansion
The main harvest starts in a few weeks and will last until November. Next week, the first strawberries are expected to be on the market. “The tomato season is year-round here. In addition to 9.6 hectares of conventional tomatoes, we also have 2.2 hectares with artificial lighting, where we grow the Brioso variety over the winter months,” says Wolfgang Steiner.
To meet the great demand for regional greenhouse products, the producer family has steadily expanded its acreage since 2014. An expansion of six hectares is planned for next year, only for organic products. The field is currently in the conversion phase and construction is expected to be completed in December. This will be followed by planting, and the first harvest of regional organic tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers will take place at the beginning of April 2019.
Quality & Traceability
The further development of the vegetable farm is not only reflected in the extension of the acreage, but also in the quality guarantee. Steiner: "Our focus is clearly on product quality, and accordingly we focus on taste rather than quantity under cultivation. As a result, for the last two years, we have also grown the Strabena, of which we are the exclusive license partner in Germany. This medium plum tomato is only available in Bavaria and is also available at Penny since this year. We started with a small parcel of land two years ago, but right now we have more than two hectares under cultivation due to increasing demand.”
Because today's modern consumers attach great importance to transparency in the value-added chain and especially in production, the Steiner family also welcomes visitors. “From August to November, we offer tours of our farm, driving people around the greenhouses on an electric bus, while they are shown and informed of the production process. And at the end you get a vegetable basket as a present.” This full traceability according to Steiner jr. is currently more important than ever. "Our strength lies in transparent sustainability and consistently delivering high-quality products."
Family business
The idea of sustainable, regional vegetable cultivation was implemented in 2014 in Kirchweidach in Upper Bavaria on 11.4 hectares under glass. Since then, the family-owned Steiner company has been producing tomatoes, peppers and strawberries - with geothermal energy and photovoltaics, without fossil fuels. The high number of sunshine hours in the Chiemgau, the unique proximity to the local geothermal plant, as well as the many years of experience of this family of growers are the pillars of successful production. Under the brand Rewe Regional, the products are marketed in Bavarian branches of the Rewe chain, as well as in Penny markets.
For more information:
Gemüsebau Steiner GmbH & Co KG
Wolfgang Steiner
Edt 8, 84558 Kirchweidach
Telephone: +49 86 23 / 98 50 6 – 0
E-Mail: info@gemuesebau-steiner.de