In general, Germany prefers large vegetables. Daikon, the ‘big brother’ of radishes, is therefore more likely to find its way to the German market than to the Dutch market. Teeuwen Telers, however, had a shorter daikon radish available last season. “It was in Dutch supermarkets last season, and it was quite successful,” Geert Teeuwen says. “This root crop is about 30 centimetres long, much shorter than regular daikon, which can grow to 50 centimetres.”
Thirty-centimetre daikon.
Daikon looks like an enormous white carrot. It’s used a lot in Asian recipes and can be used raw or as garnish on a sandwich. Daikon has a tangy, somewhat bitter flavour not unlike radish. Daikon is available from June to November. “It’s a delicious and remarkable product to have on shelves. For the Dutch consumers, the short daikon is much more practical to buy. The production of this version does require a bit of preparation. When supermarkets want to carry it, agreements have to be made now,” Geert says. Teeuwen Telers also grows black radish, which has a black skin but white flesh, and this is also part of the radish family. “This is available in the winter months, but it’s still very much a niche product.”
Fifty-centimetre daikon.
Teeuwen Telers has nearly 30 years of experience producing daikon and black radish, and has grown into one of the largest producers in the Netherlands. Geert: “Because we have a lot of experience and made investments in environmentally friendly production methods, we’re a reliable partner.”
For more information:
Teeuwen Telers
Geert Teeuwen
Hazenakkerweg 6
5988 NJ Helden, the Netherlands
Tel +31 6 27 31 10 25
info@teeuwentelers.nl