Colored cauliflower can completely brighten store shelves, yet you won't easily find these eye-catching products in Dutch supermarkets. "We offer most of the purple, orange, and green locally grown cauliflowers via exporters to southern European retail," says Etienne Ruigewaard of the Dutch wholesaler of the same name. He sells cauliflower, broccoli, other brassicas, carrots, and iceberg lettuce.
"Retailers in the Netherlands don't readily take these or, for that matter, romanesco. These products typically appeal to Mediterranean consumers. The colored cauliflowers taste slightly more intense than the regular white ones, but there's little difference between them," Etienne explains.
Since this is not a big-ticket item and supply is limited, prices remain quite stable. That benefits growers and traders, though, says Etienne, they are much harder to cultivate than white cauliflower. "It's a very fragile product, especially the purple and orange varieties. That means it's also very labor intensive. You have to be highly skilled as a grower."
Ninety percent are marketed in size 6, with the remaining ten percent in size 8. "We put two of each color in a box but can do boxes of the same color. Also, the great thing is that higher temperatures have little effect on sales," concludes Etienne, one of the few Dutch suppliers of this rather exclusive product.
For more information:
Etienne Ruigewaard
Etienne Ruigewaard BV
14-16 Marktplein
1681 NS, Zwaagdijk-Oost, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 228 567 317
Email: lars@etienne-holland.nl
Website: www.etienne-holland.nl