“Sweet Palermo color mixes are gaining shelf space”

Red, yellow, orange and chocolate… Dutch grower Marcel van Kester cultivates the whole range of colours of Sweet Palermo, the surprisingly sweet pointed pepper. “Not just the red variant, but all the colours excel in terms of taste. That remains the brand’s key strength,” he says. Ever more retailers are planning to introduce mixed-colour packs in addition to the red Sweet Palermo, and the Norwegian supplier BAMA is one company supporting this move. Marcel will talk about how this trend is helping his company to move ‘freshly forward’, as expressed in Rijk Zwaan’s theme for Fruit Logistica in Berlin.

Huge fans
Marcel is passionate about flavour, which is why he initially chose to grow red Sweet Palermo at his three-hectare farm called Red Energy in the Dutch village of Poeldijk many years ago. “My customers in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Denmark and beyond always give me positive feedback, and that’s my biggest reward. Sweet, versatility and healthy are what make consumers happy. My own children, aged 9, 11 and 13, are huge Sweet Palermo fans; they eat it every day. And a local chef regularly drops by to pick up a bag containing various colours.”

Growing interest in Sweet Palermo color mixes
He deliberately chose to grow all four Sweet Palermo colours: “It makes my business unique, and I enjoy the extra challenge of the different colours. Notably, the chocolate variety Chocolony RZ, with a Brix value of 8.5-9.5, is not inferior to the red, yellow and orange Sweet Palermo, and its aromatic flavour is very surprising.” Although the red Sweet Palermo still accounts for 89% of his growing space, the other colours give Marcel opportunities to diversify. “I offer all kinds of colour mixes, tailored to each customer’s wants and needs. I notice that, to give consumers more choice, they are increasingly interested in colour mixes in addition to the red variant. As a result, pointed peppers are steadily gaining more shelf space, just as the red Sweet Palermo has done over the past few years.”

Combination of taste and sweetness
BAMA, a leading Norwegian retail service provider, confirms the growing interest in Sweet Palermo. “It is a strong and robust variety with a fantastic combination of taste and sweetness which is rather unique,” explains Elisabeth Rittfeldt, Product Manager. “The colour is a beautiful deep red and it has a shiny skin. In fact, this helps to promote and sell the product on the shelves. The size is also perfect for a two-pack or three-pack sales unit for Norwegian households. Consumers use Sweet Palermo mostly in salads, but also in warm dishes like tacos, as stuffed peppers or on the barbecue. Because of these good experiences, our goal is to introduce other colours besides red, such as yellow and chocolate, on the market for 2024.”

New varieties and effective promotions help growers to move freshly forward
According to Marcel, Rijk Zwaan’s investments in both developing and promoting varieties contribute to these market opportunities for Sweet Palermo. “I trial new varieties every year. This year I started growing the new red Sweet Palermo Ramsey RZ, which is resistant against tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). That’s a significant improvement. After all, a healthy crop forms the basis for quality and taste,” comments the grower. He also appreciates how well the brand is promoted, and he is keen to help out. “But I’m happy to provide Rijk Zwaan with peppers for trade fairs, presentations and photo shoots. Our close partnership creates new opportunities for Sweet Palermo which really help my business to move ‘freshly forward’.”