Last Saturday, Biesheuvel Knoflook from Slootdorp delivered the very first fresh garlic of the season to Café Brakeboer in Medemblik. "The head is off," says Arjan Biesheuvel. "And fortunately, we've had a much better start than last year, when we had to both plant and harvest in the mud. This year, we may not have a top yield, as growth got off to a slow start in spring due to cold nights, and now the weather is battering us again. But we haven't seen such good quality in years. I definitely expect this to open more doors."
There was strong demand for fresh garlic, according to the grower. "The whole market was empty. Nothing was coming from Spain or Italy anymore, so we really had to start harvesting to serve our customers," says Arjan, who also works with a grower near Naples. "Demand is very good for this time of year. Traditionally, there will be a dip soon when the market becomes more saturated, but for now, sales are positive. So we do need a price increase, as our costs have also risen significantly."
The Dutch acreage of fresh garlic, distributed by three major players, has remained almost unchanged this year. "We have seen in recent years that acreage in Germany continues to expand. Dutch CA cell growers are fully active there," says Arjan.
Traditionally, the Dutch garlic season runs until early next year. After that, the season is followed up with South African garlic in cooperation with a local grower and importer. "We take his entire crop, and over the past few years we've built a regular customer base for it," he says.
Sales of fresh garlic purée are also going well, he adds. "The purée is becoming a bigger item, and we continue to expand our range of fresh garlic products. This way, we control the chain from cultivation to finished product. We market these products, among others, through the Faia Group, a consortium that also includes Waterman Onions, Roussel Onions, and Sawari Fresh, and they are increasingly making their way into European retail."
For more information:
Arjan Biesheuvel
Biesheuvel Knoflook
Westerterpweg 35
1774 NL Slootdorp
+31 (0) 227-577035
[email protected]
www.biesheuvelknoflook.nl