Garlic as a raw material or processed product is increasingly becoming an integral part of the home kitchen. The once exotic product is now imported in large volumes from China or the Mediterranean and marketed here in wholesale or food retail. Business is doing great as well in the Swiss city of Zurich, says Miroljub Nojic, owner of garlic center or SOSU LLC.
The company was founded about 20 years ago and acquired in 2007 by its current owner. The main focus of the company is the import and processing of white garlic. "Most of our raw materials are sourced from a Dutch partner in China," explains Nojic, who primarily serves regional wholesalers.
Sales are currently satisfactory, according to the specialist retailer, who also processes some of the raw materials on site in his own peeling plant. "The ratio betw
een unprocessed raw and peeled garlic is about 50-50." Whether processed or raw: The goods are packaged in boxes, cartons or bags in any packaging unit according to customer requirements. Nojic: "We supply small to large packs, from 0.5 to 10 kg."
Despite the increased demand for regional agricultural products and the successful attempts by some farmers to cultivate garlic in Switzerland, the specialist retailer believes that the goods will continue to be imported mainly from China in the coming years. "If the customer wants that, we can deliver Swiss garlic, but that's not just 1 percent of our total sales." Otherwise, because of the experience in recent years, there will also be little change, he says. "Overall, at least in recent years, prices have not changed much in the past few years, so maybe the total sales will be a little more over the next few years."
For more information:
SOSU GmbH
GF: Miroljub Nojic
Zürcherstrasse 113
8952 Schlieren
Tel: 044 400 09 56
info@sosu.ch
www.sosu.ch