Thomas Wyssa is one of the few producers in Switzerland cultivating Chinese cabbage, in particular a variety known as bok choy. To Wyssa the product is a success on Swiss markets.
Wyssa started growing the cabbage 8 years ago. He did an attempt twenty years earlier, but the project stagnated. "We couldn't find any buyers," he says. "The product just wasn't familiar enough at the time." When bok choy did finally gain some ground in Switzerland, Wyssa gave it another shot. Finally, he struck gold. "In the first year the market wasn't so hot, but in time it became a hit. Nowadays we produce around 70 tons per year."
Today, that makes Thomas Wyssa the largest bok choy grower in the country. He has two major buyers: the 'Obst- und Gemüsezentrale Ins' and Spavetti. These buyers distribute the product to wholesalers. As he is one of the few growers of the Asian cabbage, and shelf life is low, Wyssa receives stable prices. "The market is sound," he says.