Christmas time is herb time: in week 51 in particular, weekly markets, restaurants and supermarkets are trying to stock up on fresh cut herbs from all over the world, says Ahmed Bouklata, Managing Director of Kräuter Express and herb trader at Cologne's wholesale market. "It was still relatively quiet at the beginning of the week, but we are expecting good sales from Wednesday to Saturday. We are benefiting from the fact that Christmas Eve is on Sunday this year. In 2022, it was on Saturday and we had to close around midday, which is of course very inconvenient."
Packaged herbs (l) and loose mugwort.
The native Moroccan also runs a packing station in Neuss, in addition to the wholesale market stall. The cut herbs are sourced not only from Morocco, but also from Spain and East Africa. In addition to the basic range, the more unusual herbs are also becoming increasingly popular at Christmas, says Bouklata. "Mugwort, for example, is used a lot for dishes with duck and roast goose. But marjoram and thyme are now also in high demand."
In terms of sourcing, Morocco in particular has gained in importance in recent years, continues Bouklata. "This year, too, we have plenty of Moroccan cut herbs of excellent quality at our disposal. This is a sign that herb cultivation there has become highly professionalized. We are currently also receiving very high-quality goods from Ethiopia."
Chili peppers from Morocco.
All in all, 2023 was also a weak sales year for the herb industry. Bouklata: "In the last two months in particular, many wholesale customers have reduced their order volumes, which in turn is due to inflation and consumer reluctance to buy. The prices for cut herbs have been raised several times this year, which has slowed down sales accordingly. For example, the price of curly parsley is 30 percent higher than last year." The increase in VAT (as of 1.1.24) to 19 percent in the gastronomy sector is also causing the herbalist concern.
Stand sales at the Cologne wholesale market.
Differentiation of the product range
In line with the circumstances, Bouklata has decided to further expand its product range. "We now also offer items such as chili peppers, also from Morocco. Another product pillar is soup greens: we source the raw materials, i.e. celery, leeks and carrots, from the region and we process the goods ourselves at the Neuss site. This has proven to be a great addition to our portfolio during the cold season," says Bouklata.
Pictures: Kräuter Express
For more information:
Ahmed Bouklata
Kräuter Express
Großmarkt Köln
Tel: +49 221 937262 86
Fax: +49 221 937 262 87
Mobile: +49 177 745 7395
Kraeuter.express@yahoo.de