The demand for Rijk Zwaan’s premium pepper has been boosted by the trend towards healthy products in the pandemic
With Covid, the consumption of ecological produce has increased. A rising trend that can be seen in the evolution of the bio Sweet Palermo demand.
Fruit Today talked to Javier García Rigol, a Chain Specialist at Rijk Zwaan, who expects an increase in production in terms of the demand. “Every day the demand for healthy products in general increases; in addition, consumers expect and want them to be produced in a sustainable way. In the next campaign we will see whether this trend for ecological produce continues, as occurred during the pandemic, or whether it levels out to some extent.”
Regarding their star pepper line, Sweet Palermo, this growth has been particularly noted in the traditional bio destinations: northern Europe (mainly Scandinavia), Germany and France, but also on new markets that are discovering and demanding this produce every day. Additionally, they continue finding their place in Spain, another great pepper consumer. Here, Sweet Palermo can be found at Lidl, Consum, Alcampo, El Corte Inglés, DIA, Ametller, Bon Preu… and on other European markets it is on the shelves in Edeka, Rewe, Aldi, Albert Heijn and Lidl, amongst others. All of the peppers are presented in environmentally friendly packaging alternatives to cover the needs of both markets and consumers who are demanding plastic-free packaging.
As in conventional produce, the bio range is made up of red, yellow, orange and chocolate; each one with its own particular flavour. “Sweet Palermo has differentiating attributes, particularly its excellent flavour, which is very sweet, with a characteristic aroma and a thin skin that is hardly noticeable. Although visually there are other products that could seem similar, in terms of organoleptic properties they have nothing to do with Sweet Palermo,” García Rigol affirms. Other assets are the complete nutritional profile (high content in vitamin C, beta-carotene, etc.) and the great versatility in the kitchen, either cooked or raw, an option that is growing for snacks and salads.
The 12 months’ production is completed with the different varieties covered by Sweet Palermo. Offering premium quality with resistances to L4, spotted, nematodes and whatever else might appear in the future.
