“Nothing is as assailable as unassailability, that’s why I wouldn’t say the white asparagus has a monopoly on the German market,” says asparagus grower and trader, Franz Allofs, slightly cryptically about the current German market. His eponymously named company is located in Geldern-Walbeck, near the German border with the Netherlands, and for years, he has focused on the asparagus production and cultivation of asparagus varieties. This cultivation branch even became so successful, the company’s maximum capacity has now been more than exceeded. For that reason, senior manager Franz Allofs and his son decided to enter into a cooperation with the Dutch company Meijers Planten from Posterholt.
The expert has noticed white asparagus are still very popular among older generations, but the anthocyanin-free green asparagus, on the other hand, has a less stringy structure and a milder, nuttier flavour, which has occasionally been compared to broccoli. This ensures the green varieties are also popular among the younger generations. The green asparagus is currently grown on about eight per cent of the total German area. Allofs: “The market for green varieties, however, is far from saturated. There’s a reason people are trying to increase demand for this vegetable by means of commercials. However, I personally don’t think this will actually lead to a major change in the market situation.”
Familie Allofs
Broecksteg 5 · 47608 Geldern-Walbeck
Tel.: 0 28 31 / 33 82 · Fax: 0 28 31 / 94 353
mail@spargelhof-allofs.de
www.spargelhof-allofs.de