Currently, the company Mack and Gerstner from Mannheim is still offering the last green kiwifruit from Italian origin, as Managing Director Florian Wahl (pictured below) tells us. "Since last week, there are already the first golden kiwis of the brand Zespri from New Zealand of size 37. The demand is very good, despite the fact that the price level is quite high with 0.70 euros per piece in the purchase." The wholesaler expects larger calibers in about 14 days, which will then also start the season for green kiwis from New Zealand. The quantities are satisfactory.
Florian Wahl
Class AAA stone fruit from Spain
Furthermore, the company is offering the first peaches, nectarines as well as apricots of class AAA, that is caliber 20-22, from Spain. "Demand is surprisingly good, despite the high prices for the large calibers - at 6 euros per kilo." His main customers include smaller retailers as well as weekly market traders within an 80 km radius of Mannheim.
Current trends
That being said, he was surprised to see some gastro customers listing white asparagus on their menus as early as mid-February. "We already offer green asparagus, for example from Peru and Mexico, all year round anyway. But stone fruit from New Zealand and South Africa have also been in demand for some time. The question, however, is whether this is absolutely necessary."
On the future of the Mannheim wholesale market
"The weather in April and May was not good for the wholesale market business. Since business was also not particularly good for many weekly market traders at the beginning of the year, some are considering quitting at the end of the asparagus season. Therefore, one or the other wholesaler is also thinking about how to continue," Wahl sums up.
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