The global fresh-produce industry is continually seeking high-quality, differentiated vegetables that can fill supply gaps or bring something new to market. "At Qualipac, we are proud to introduce our long-term contract production and supply program for Watermelon Radish (Raphanus sativus), also known as red-meat radish, beauty-heart radish, roseheart radish, or shinrimei radish in Japan," said Kees Versteeg, Sales and Business Development Manager at Qualipac.
The Watermelon Radish is a visually striking root vegetable, pale green to cream on the outside and bright pink to magenta on the inside with a crisp texture and mild-peppery flavour. It is gaining momentum among chefs, retailers, salad processors, and consumers globally.
"The Watermelon Radish brings crunch, mild peppery flavour, and a pop of pink to your salads, sandwiches, and veggie trays. It is versatile, nutritious, and visually stunning; it's the perfect way to make every dish both healthy and eye-catching. It is most commonly used fresh for salads, sandwiches, and vegetable trays. It can be pickled as it retains its colour and crunch for an extended shelf life. It can also be lightly roasted or steamed. Its vibrant colour and mild bite make it ideal for salads, fresh-cut mixes, gourmet dishes, and retail-ready packs. The global popularity continues to grow, particularly in Asia, Europe, and the US, where demand is rising for visually striking, novel produce."
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Proven track record
"At Qualipac, we began producing watermelon radish in 2018 at the request of a Japanese customer. We continue to supply the same customers consistently year after year. Since then, we have produced and supplied on average 150–200 MT per season without major disruption, consistently meeting high standards of quality, packing, and on-time delivery," said Kees.
"Our Australian cooler winter months (May–August, into early September) align perfectly with the Northern Hemisphere's summer months (June–August), allowing overseas markets to access Watermelon Radish at peak demand. This is particularly valuable where local production may be constrained or the radish is newly introduced to a market, providing buyers with a reliable, counter-seasonal supply option."
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Quality, shelf life, and compliance
After years of experience, testing, and fine-tuning, Qualipac has achieved a shelf life of up to three months under optimal conditions, with some tests exceeding this, allowing for cost-effective sea freight in addition to air freight options.
"We are Global G.A.P. certified and comply with all market-specific MRL requirements. Every shipment is tailored to meet each destination's quarantine and regulatory standards."
For export, the Watermelon Radish is cleaned, washed, topped and tailed, with an average weight of 500g each. This is currently our standard export specification. They are supplied loose in export cartons on destination market-compliant pallets.
"Thanks to our forward production and supply programs, developed collaboratively between the customer and the grower, we can offer fully customized options - from specific bulb sizes and weights to tailored packaging formats, including retail-ready packs for direct delivery to major global retailers. This flexibility allows us to provide a truly customer-centric supply solution for foodservice, salad processors, retail channels, and end consumers."
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Production capacity and expansion potential
"Our annual production program currently supplies 200t per season to our current loyal overseas customers. With sincere interest from new global partners, we can expand to provide additional volumes and/or extend the seasonal supply window. While our current production focuses on Australia's cooler winter months, we are ready to expand the production window for long-term partners based on confirmed commitments, enabling larger volumes and extended seasonal supply."
For more information:
Kees Versteeg
Qualipac
Tel: +61 (0) 488 494 911
[email protected]
www.qualipac.com.au
