The first local spinach of this season is already in circulation. "In our glasshouse, the spinach went the entire winter without heating. Thus, it has grown particularly climate-friendly, but also robust. In case of frost, we covered our spinach with fleeces for protection. This allowed us to harvest the first batches this week and offer them at the weekly market," says Peter Gogeff, producer and owner of the vegetable farm bearing the same name.
Regionally produced fresh spinach. / Photo: Gogeff
The grower markets his produce both via regional weekly markets and via direct sales at the market garden hall from the local wholesale market. During peak season, the latter sales channel primarily serves regional buyers, such as specialty stores and resellers with fresh produce. "With glasshouse spinach, it is all about smaller quantities that are only sufficient for the weekly market trade. From mid-April, the first outdoor produce is expected to be available and the season will really take off," Gogeff says.
Part of the yield will be marketed via the stand in the Munich Gardener's Hall. In addition to spinach, depending on the season, Jerusalem artichokes, lettuce, various types of cabbage and home-grown pumpkins are traded as well.
Small-leaved greenhouse and field spinach
Outdoor spinach can usually be offered until the end of the year, with only a weather-related supply gap in mid-summer in recent years. On the sales side, Gogeff knows that local spinach has become quite popular. "At the weekly market as well as in specialty stores, our small-leaf spinach is preferred. In the catering trade, people sometimes also choose the larger root spinach, from Italy, for example."
The Munich-based family business focuses in particular on growing finer small-leafed batches, both in the greenhouse and outdoors. "That's where we had a unique selling point on the market for years. However, for some years now, the Italians have also been increasingly entering the market with fine, packaged spinach leaves. This is particularly advantageous for resellers because consumers prefer portioned products. For us, however, a major investment in packaging equipment would be out of the question because we continue to sell stable volumes and we are satisfied with that."
Quality is the top priority
However, the vegetable grower and direct marketer is in constant exchange with his customers and, as a smaller supplier, is particularly focused on the individual requirements of his clientele. "Last year we grew sprouted broccoli for the first time. Such niche crops are particularly interesting for our company. Apart from that, product quality is paramount, because competition in the free trade is quite fierce. Therefore, I personally don't believe in certifications, but rather in direct feedback and acceptance from the customers."
For more information:
Gemüsebau Gogeff
Peter Gogeff
Schäftlarnstraße 10
81371 München (Gärtnerhalle, Reihe I)
At wholesale market: 0049 89 7254763
Company: 0049 89 3145343
Email: kontakt@gemüsebau-gogeff.de
www.gemüsebau-gogeff.de