Edamame beans are now being harvested for the first time in the Palatinate, under the auspices of the Pfalzmarkt producers' cooperative. This healthy vegetable is a classic in the Asian region and is also gaining in importance in Germany, partly because its high protein content makes it a good alternative to meat. Pfalzmarkt producer Thomas Reeb from Dudenhofen is now doing pioneering work with the Edamame.
According to the seed supplier Reeb is one of the "Edamame pioneers" in Germany and Central Europe. Reeb explains: "In order to test the course of vegetation and cultivation and at the same time to get into conversation with partners in the food retail trade and in the catering trade, six different varieties were initially cultivated on 1.5 hectares in the current season. The sowing was carried out at different times and locations." He was surprised at the smooth progress of the trial cultivation so far. As the trials show, the Edame-beans find almost ideal growing conditions in the mild climate of the Palatinate.
Thomas Reeb in the field (Photo: Pfalzmarkt eG)
Market expansion for fresh edamame from the Palatinate
Edamame is currently regarded as a trendsetter and was previously only available in Germany as a frozen product. "In the catering trade, for example, it is impossible to imagine a sushi restaurant without these delicious pulses. The increasing consumer demand for vegetarian and vegan staple foods means that freshly harvested edamame from the Palatinate also promises interesting sales potential," says Reinhard Oerther, Sales Director at Pfalzmarkt.
The pods at harvest time (Photo: Pfalzmarkt eG)
This is also the goal for the marketing strategy, Oerther continues: "As the edamame has so far been available almost exclusively frozen, we would like to demonstrate once again the versatility of the Palatinate as Germany's vegetable garden with this fresh product."
The development is still in its infancy, but he is confident: "At the moment, Edamame is still in the experimental cultivation stage in the Palatinate. In the first year of cultivation the first harvest is now due. The sales department at Pfalzmarkt will receive the first product samples in the next few days and will then present Edamame as a product innovation for 2021 to our partners in the retail trade," says Reeb.
Photo: Pfalzmarkt eG
Food retail is clearly one of the target groups for the new product: "We don't want to just target the Palatinate gastronomy sector - consumers at home are also increasingly appreciating international cuisine. In addition, the proportion of consumers who would like to do without animal protein in part or in full is growing. So we are seeing more and more exotics on supermarket shelves that can make the diet more balanced and interesting. If we can offer them from local cultivation, that is of course all the better."
For more information:
Albert Reeb und Thomas Reeb Spargelhof
St.-Klara-Str. 50
67373 Dudenhofen, Deutschland
Tel.: +49 6232 95920
Björn Wojtaszewski
PRplusCOM
Tel: 06321 49 12 98
Mobile: 0174 322 10 47
Web: www.prpluscom.de
Mail: bw@prpluscom.de