01 August 2022
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Wholesaler says demand is increasing for domestic product
GERMAN potato production is increasing, and shelf life improving, which is leading to the country taking in less imports from France, Italy and other countries, according to wholesaler Neuenkirchener Heidekartoffel Handelsgesellschaft.
Neuenkirchener Heidekartoffel Handelsgesellschaft was founded in 1907 and has been active on the Hamburg wholesale market for 30 years now. The company is one of the potato specialists in northern Germany and offers a wide range of potato products and specialties.
Sales Manager Torben Sander said in a recent interview with Fresh Plaza: "Basically, the demand for imported goods is declining compared to that for German goods, because domestic production is steadily improving and, thanks to new cooling techniques, they also have a longer shelf life. Parallel to the early potatoes, we also offer alternative goods. We usually buy additional Italian and Cypriot goods. When asparagus is being offered early, we also purchase potatoes from Italy and Cyprus, which are harvested and marketed a bit earlier as well."
Torben said the current supply and quality is good, although consumer buying is somewhat restrained as people have become more price-sensitive.
"Apart from the inflation of almost 8%, we are also faced with general price and cost increases of 30-50%," he said. "However, we have had to charge more for our supplies in particular. Price volatility has also increased for certain items."
Given the lack of kitchen staff in the food service industry, there has also been a significant increase in demand for processed goods. "The interest in convenience products or pre-cooked goods is becoming stronger. Because both for time and cost reasons, people don't manage to peel the produce in time. People are then willing to pay a few cents more for peeled produce, but this pays off most for restaurateurs," said Torben.
Source: Fresh Plaza / Neuenkirchener Heidekartoffel Handelsgesellschaft
