"There are actually strawberries all year round - it is always spring somewhere. At the moment Spain is doing well with its strawberries, soon the Italian goods are coming and in April the long-awaited production from Switzerland will start," says Patrick Braun from Braun Fruits & Vegetables AG in Bronschhofen in Switzerland. "In terms of quantity, this is also the highlight of the season for us, as local strawberries are still the most popular."
There are already sufficient quantities of Spanish strawberries on the market, but their quality is not too great, Braun says: "The goods are not bad, but consumers prefer the Swiss goods, which is probably also due to the long transport routes."
In terms of price, the Spanish goods at the moment are going at CHF 2-2,50 (500g). By comparison, the Swiss season starts with prices of around CHF 5. Depending on the weather, the marketer expects the first greenhouse products at the end of April. In winter, he also sources fruits from Egypt, Israel and Morocco, as well as some from California. "These are certainly not huge quantities; the customers are usually confectioners."
The concept of the classic season is now almost completely gone: "What is a season nowadays - somewhere fruit or vegetables are in season and therefore I can get hold of them. We are so very much interconnected with this current globalization. Still some customers prefer regional goods, but others want a year-round stable supply of the goods."
Regarding the popularity of different types of fruit and vegetables, it is a bit like with fashion, says Braun: "Everything will come return at some point in time." Braun Früchte & Gemüse AG mainly supplies catering, hospitals and canteens in the vicinity with fresh goods from Switzerland and abroad.
For more information:
Patrick Braun
Braun Früchte & Gemüse AG
Industriestrasse 21
9552 Bronschhofen
Telephone: + 41 71 913 85 00
Mail: info@braun-gemuese.ch
Web: www.braun-gemuese.ch/