“Especially small pumpkins gaining popularity”

For some years, Coöperatie Hoogstraten has been offering pumpkins from September to December. “The product is much in demand. This can be noticed due to the cookery shows, and retailers also regularly put this product in the spotlight. For example, the spaghetti pumpkin gets much attention as healthy alternative to pasta. Retail is also responding to this, and they show more interest in pumpkins in their flyers and magazines,” says salesperson Kim Gijsbrechts.

Besides the spaghetti pumpkin, Hoogstraten has a total of nine varieties in its assortment. “The three largest and best-known are Hokkaido, Butternut and Rouge Vif d’Etampes. Additionally, we have Acorna, the small muscat pumpkin, Sucrine du Berry, the Halloween pumpkin and of course the giant gourd.”

She indicates that especially small pumpkins are gaining popularity. “These are naturally a bit more diverse in flavour and uses. Pumpkins are also ‘hot items’ as decoration. Pumpkins can be found as decoration by doors at people’s homes, in gardening centres and at restaurants. Although the large pumpkins are perfect for this, it’s become clear they’ve had to make room for the smaller ones. Just as with other products in the past — such as tomatoes and speciality tomatoes — there’s an obvious trend for smaller and more diversity.

Kim says two of Hoogstraten’s growers have 28 hectares in total. “The growth is exponential. Our largest grower had one hectare in his first year, and that expanded every year. By now he has more than 26 hectares. This grower is Jeroen de Ridder, and he and his wife Ilse run the company. The increase form 2016 to 2017 was 4.5 hectares. He wants to continue growing to 30 hectares.”

For more information:
Kim Gijsbrechts
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
2320 Hoogstraten - Belgium
+32 (0)3 340 03 81
[email protected]
www.hoogstraten.eu