Christoph Bliem runs a farm in Hall in Tyrol with his wife Petra. Along with eggs and potatoes, the two specialize in Tyrolean onions - which are now available at SPAR, EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR in Tyrol. This makes SPAR the exclusive food partner of the Bliem family, which also supplies selected Tyrolean catering businesses as a second mainstay. The cooperation between Christoph Bliem and SPAR has already been going on for six years. In total, SPAR in Tyrol is a partner of 140 local producers, carrying 2,400 regional products.
Christoph Bliem has been growing different varieties of onions for SPAR for six years. © SPAR
Christoph and Petra Bliem's farm in Hall is home to 1,000 chickens, and the couple grows potatoes in their fields in Hall and the surrounding area. But Christoph Bliem was already looking for something new. He settled for onions, and now, he grows Tyrolean onions on an area of up to seven hectares.
Most of the harvest goes to SPAR
Onions are tasty, an indispensable part of Tyrolean home cooking and a fixed ingredient in almost every main dish. The majority of the Tyrolean onion harvest goes to SPAR: Currently, the Bliem family's Tyrolean onions are available at SPAR, EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR, in one-kilo bags.
Right: © SPAR
Tyrolean onions love stony and warm soils
Growing Tyrolean onions was definitely something of an experiment in the beginning. "We tried out many things," Christoph Bliem says, looking back on the beginnings. "And we came to the conclusion that Tyrolean onions thrive wonderfully on stony and warm soils." Harvesting is done by the family itself, and wife Petra and the two children also help with the packaging for delivery to SPAR. "SPAR is a fair partner because even small and very small businesses are treated as equals," says Christoph Bliem.
"Great example of long-term partnership"
"We always take the sustainable route. This also goes for our partnerships: we build long-term relationships with innovative farmers," says Patricia Sepetavc, Managing Director SPAR Tyrol and Salzburg. "Christoph Bliem with his Tyrolean onions stands for the success of such a long-term partnership between SPAR and agriculture." SPAR Tirol permanently stocks 2,400 products from 140 producers in the Tyrol - and the trend is toward even more regional foods.