A new product was introduced to the fresh produce section at Jumbo, a Dutch supermarket chain, this summer - the Cumelo. The Cumelo is an Italian regional product. There it is known as the Barattiere. The Greenery exclusively sells this product to the Dutch market.
Gerard van Loon of Greenery Italia s.r.l. tells how he was first introduced to this exotic fruit: “It all began in December 2017. My wife and I had bought a B&B in Apulia, Italy. We offer breakfast to our guests too. One day, my wife bought a ‘Barattiere’ from the local market - a kind of a cross between a cucumber and a melon. When we served it to our guests, they loved it. As did we!”
Greenery Italia works with the local cultivation company, Miss Freschezza.
Local cultivation
The Barattiere is only grown in the Apulia region, between the cities of Fasano and Monopoli. Gerard: “A few hundred years ago, a spontaneous crossbreed occurred. Since then, the local population eats this fruit regularly for breakfast or in a salad. This product is truly local - even in Northern Italy, they hardly know this fruit.”
“Since our guests and we were so impressed by this product, I contacted a neighborhood supplier. We then made an appointment to do a trial with Jumbo and The Greenery. This was a success and the Barattiere has been available in the Netherlands since this summer, under the name Cumelo. Cumelo is a combination of the words cucumber and melon. The product looks very much like a melon, but it tastes fresh and light, like a cucumber. It can be considered an alternative for the two.”
Local cultivation in Monopoli, Italy.
Cumelo season runs from mid-April to mid-September. Last season, about 150,000 of these fruits were specially cultivated for Greenery Italia. “Cultivation went well. We supplied between six and ten pallets per week. We work with a local grower, and they are also pleased with this first trial year.”
“As the farmer harvests this fruit’s seeds every year himself, we have noticed differences in taste between individual fruits. That is why we want to professionalize the cultivation and only use the tastiest varieties. We also came across a few issues, such as temperature control, this last season. It is essential to store and transport the Cumelo at 10ºC. They must, however, be eaten when they are cold, so it is best to put this fruit in the fridge a day before you want to eat it.”
Cumelos ready to go.
Consumer reactions
Although this product is the most normal thing on earth in Apulia, in Dutch supermarkets, the Cumelo is the odd man out. What was the reaction?
“In general, everyone reactive positively. There were a few people that found it ‘tasteless’. That could, however, have to do with the fact that each fruit did not always taste the same. Fortunately, most people reacted very well. In our B&B, we also get enthusiastic reactions from our guests. Now they can simply get the Cumelo in supermarkets during the summer once they return to the Netherlands,” says Gerard.
The Cumelo: a cross between a cucumber and a melon.
When asked if he is expecting more expansion in the years to come, Gerard answers cautiously: “I think so, but we must build it up slowly. The Cumelo is cultivated on a small scale. Everything must be done step by step because the product’s quality is a top priority. We hope, of course, to be able to supply the Cumelo to the Netherlands from May to September next year again.” (LS)
The Greenery
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