Turmeric root comes mainly from Asia. India is a major producer, but there most of the turmeric harvest remains in the domestic market. “We import turmeric from Thailand, but Peru and other Latin American countries also have this product available”, says Arjen. “Various countries are starting to supply this product, but Asian turmeric definitely tastes different to the Latin American variety.”
European market wants turmeric
Although they have seasonal influences, Thailand is on the market all year round. During the rainy season there is less supply. “For the time being there is sufficient supply from Thailand. The product is widely grown there for the local market, so it is not a problem to expand production in order to export to Europe.” This is different to the Peruvian production. “Turmeric is often exported alongside ginger, in combined consignments. As a result, there is a low supply during part of the season.”
“We primarily use air freight because the product is fresher when it arrives. It is possible to send it by sea, but then the product loses its sheen and becomes a duller colour”, continues Arjen. “It is not used as often as ginger. It is not a commodity like ginger, but there is a nice growth in the market.” This goes for the whole European market. Dutch customers are discovering this exotic, but demand for turmeric from the German, Norwegian, Polish and Czech markets is also on the rise. “In the beginning, it was mainly the wholesalers and catering industry who were interested in this product. Now we see the demand from supermarkets also picking up. They are starting to include turmeric in their programmes.”
Turmeric turns everything yellow
“It is a seasoning, that is also, for example, used a lot in smoothies and teas”, explains Arjen. The way it is used by European consumers does raise eyebrows in Thailand. “Our Thai supplier was very surprised when I told him that we also add turmeric to teas and smoothies. There they use it for curries.”
In Europe, dried turmeric is well-known and can be found in many a spice rack. The fresh variety is different. “Fresh turmeric has a stronger, more bitter taste”, explains Arjen. Fresh turmeric also gives off a bright yellow colour. The first time this turmeric was packaged at Nature’s Pride, it coloured the packaging line yellow, resulting in the line needing an extra wash. “Now we package the turmeric at the end of the day”, says Arjan, laughing. Their turmeric is available in 2 kg boxes, which can be re-packaged by the customers themselves. Nature’s Pride also has 250 g and 125 g packs. The larger size is mainly sent to wholesalers, the smaller sizes to retailers.
Dragon fruit a real Christmas item
This market has grown rapidly in recent years. “Over the last four weeks, we have sold three to four times as much as in the same period last year”, says Arjen. This growth is due to the health claims attributed to turmeric. “You see it everywhere on the internet. Since there are strict regulations when it comes to health claims, we do not explicitly mention this on the packaging. It is, however, an indication of why the demand is suddenly so high.”
These health claims are also the driving force behind the demand for other varieties of exotics. An example of this is ginger, but dragon fruit is also following this trend. “We are seeing an increased demand from Eastern Europe, as well as a rise in demand from Dutch retailers.” Star fruit is, traditionally, a Christmas item, but it seems dragon fruit is gradually taking over this role.
Three colours, three flavours
There are three kinds of dragon fruit that are named for the colour of their skin and flesh. “This fruit originally comes from Central America, but it is also very popular in Vietnam”, continues Arjen. The white-fleshed variety has a red skin with white flesh. The red-fleshed variety’s skin, as well as flesh, is red, while the yellow dragon fruit has a yellow skin. The white-fleshed dragon fruit variety is the most common type. This exotic fruit comes mainly from Vietnam, but South Africa and Ecuador have also recently invested in its cultivation. “The white-fleshed variety is the least sweet of the three, with the lowest brix level”, says Arjen. “The red-fleshed kind is sweeter and fruitier with a higher brix level. This year we started selling more of this variety to other exports markets, especially Germany, but it is not yet a well-known product.” Vietnam is the most important producer of this variety while Israel and Indonesia also export this exotic fruit. The sweetest of the three, with a higher brix level, is the yellow dragon fruit. This variety comes mainly from South America. There is also supply from Israel.
“We have a number of good Vietnamese suppliers, which has enabled us to have continued growth with these dragon fruits.” Arjen expects the market for white-fleshed dragon fruit to grow this year. The Vietnamese cultivation is focused on the Chinese market, but that market mainly requires larger sizes. The European market, on the other hand, prefers the smaller sizes.
Bland taste?
“The white-fleshed dragon fruit has been described as having a bland taste. This exotic fruit does, however, combine well”, continues Arjen. “For example, dragon fruit combines well in a salad, for instance, or with melon and ham.” Arjen also sees a good market for the red-fleshed variety. “The problem is then that you have to take the seasons more into consideration, which can cause difficulties with the supply.”
The dragon fruit is made more popular by the product’s health claims. “It is a product with many health claims. Its low brix level means it has a very low sugar content. I expect it to do well in the future. Customers, in general, are looking for the range to expand.” This bodes well for the various exotic products, like turmeric and dragon fruit. Fresh coconuts are also selling well in the run-up to Christmas. “This is not something you would expect, but large volumes are being sent to Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.”
More information:
Nature's Pride
Arjen de Haan
[email protected]
www.naturespride.nl