Things are still tough in the Belgian endive market. Prices are low and, despite increased interest towards the holidays, this has brought little change. "As every year towards the holidays, we see a clear spike in sales. This is a recurring pattern as soon as the festive season approaches. Unfortunately, the market does not really recover from it," explains Herman Lion of Lathouwers and Co.
"That makes the situation somewhat challenging," he continues. "Traditionally, Belgian endive is still widely consumed during the holidays, so consumption does hold up. It remains a staple in the kitchen for many households. Younger people, however, are less familiar with it. Some simply do not know the product well, while others do not know how to prepare it. This has been the case for years and is difficult to change. Eating habits have changed significantly over time. Nowadays, people more often choose easy and quick options, whereas in the past, you were more or less obliged to cook for yourself and therefore worked more automatically with vegetables such as Belgian endive."
Over the years, new varieties have also been developed, with Belgian endive becoming less bitter and sweeter. "That helps to some extent," Herman notes. "Still, this is not the biggest issue. If Belgian endive is slightly bitter, you can easily make it sweeter yourself: Caramelise it, add a little honey, things like that. In this way, you can strongly influence the final taste. But ultimately, it also remains a matter of habit, and young people need to learn to eat it."
Difference retail and trade hard to explain
Open-field Belgian endive, which officially restarted from mid-October, may be slightly more expensive, but even this is not achieving the prices it should. "Of course, prices are somewhat higher, but open-grown Belgian endive should actually be more expensive. Labour costs are high, and it is an extremely labour-intensive product. Nevertheless, prices are currently too low for growers. We also regularly receive questions about this, because when you look at retail, consumer prices actually remain high. Sometimes 6 to 6.50 euros for a half-kilo bag, which amounts to 12 to 13 euros per kilo. That difference is difficult to explain, but retail has its own dynamics and margin structures. I cannot comment on that. What we do see is that these prices are not reflected in growers."
And that creates difficulties, Herman explains. "In the meantime, growers also see that Belgian endive is expensive in the shops and ask questions about it. It remains hard to explain the gap between producer prices and retail prices. For now, however, the market is stable, which is positive. And despite the low auction prices, sales do pick up towards December. Pricing remains a concern, though, as we are currently lower than we are used to at this time of year. Our own volumes remain unchanged, and demand is still there, but there is pressure on the market. A key focus must remain on the younger generation. We really need to target them to secure the future of the Belgian endive."
For more information:
Herman Lion
Lathouwers and Co
Veilinglaan 39
1861 Wolvertem (Meise), Belgium
+32 (0) 52 39 79 00
[email protected]
www.lathouwers.net
