“Precocity and quality: that is the strength of our asparagus!”

Like every year, ASPA2 is kicking off the asparagus campaign in France. “We harvested our first greenhouse asparagus on January 17th. Every year, we organize ourselves in order to start around mid-January,” explains Jacques Guironnet of ASPA2.

Heating network providing a double advantage 
The precocity of our asparagus is made possible thanks to a heating network system. “This is recovered heat, with zero CO2 emissions. The access to this heat source gives us a double advantage. Precocity, of course, as it allows us to be the first to offer asparagus on the French market and one of the first in Europe. The other advantage concerns the undeniable quality of our asparagus. The asparagus does not like temperature variations. The claws are maintained at 20°C thanks to the hot water pipes. The asparagus grow regularly and without stress, which gives us a premium quality, tender asparagus without bitterness or fibers.”

Increasingly large volumes early in the campaign
ASPA2 cultivates its asparagus on 15 hectares. Year after year, the company increases its volumes of early asparagus, which are more and more popular among the regular and the newer clientèle. “We tend to increase our very early volumes. We currently have several tons of asparagus available every week, which go to the French, European and Asian markets. Our asparagus are eagerly awaited by our customers who are getting into the habit of starting the season with them.”

Home consumption has increased in 2021
The company sells its asparagus to grocery stores, a segment that has been increasing since the sanitary crisis. “Last year, although restaurants were closed, there was a very interesting shift in sales for home consumption. We managed to transfer sales from one segment to another and we even gained new clients who discovered our products.”