With the start of spring, products like asparagus and strawberries are top of mind for many. In Flanders, however, another product traditionally marks the arrival of spring: hop shoots. Every year, the first harvest draws exceptional interest, and the season is now in full swing at Hopscheuten Temmerman, running from Valentine's Day to Easter. "The way people elsewhere look forward to the first asparagus, that's how hop shoots are awaited in this region," says Jelle Temmerman of the namesake cultivation company in Puurs-Sint-Amands.
© Hopscheuten Temmerman
The company traces its roots back to Jelle's grandfather, who founded it in 1960. "My grandfather Paul built it up over the years into the specialised hop shoot farm it is today," Jelle explains. "When he started looking for a successor a few years ago, he couldn't find the right person—until I expressed interest in taking it over at 18. We entered into discussions and agreed that I would join for a year. I grew up around farming and entrepreneurship, and during that year, I fell in love with the craft—putting such an exclusive product on people's plates. So at 19, I officially took over the business, and we are now in my second season."
Hop Shoots Temmerman cultivates hop shoots on about 4 hectares. "That may not seem like much compared to potato or onion growers, but everything is done by hand. It's a very labour-intensive crop. Many growers combine this with hops for beer, but I focus solely on hop shoots. That makes it an exclusive product with a unique story—something highly valued by top-tier restaurants, which are our main customers."
© Hopscheuten Temmerman
It's truly a Flemish delicacy, but what makes it so popular in Flanders? "That's hard to explain," says the young entrepreneur. "People here grow up with it, so many become fans at a young age. I think that's why there's still a future for it in this region—because without enthusiasts, it wouldn't be profitable to grow. It's not a cheap product, so people have to be willing to pay the price. It's mainly served in restaurants as an appetizer. Hop shoots have a subtle, slightly bitter taste and a crunchy texture—somewhat similar to soybean sprouts, with a nutty flavour. They're often prepared with a poached egg and finished with mousseline sauce."
Lower quality due to forcing has disrupted market
The hop shoot season runs roughly from Valentine's Day to Easter. "We aim for 15 February to 15 April," Jelle says. "But this year, we had a very late start. It's been an unusual season—the weather stayed cold for a long time with little sunshine. January was very rainy, which brought its own challenges and put us behind schedule from the start. Now, we're doing everything we can to make a strong finish to the season. Luckily, we have loyal customers who continue to buy large volumes in the final weeks."
"Still, many growers, due to the late start, chose to force growth using heating in dark sheds," he continues. "That allowed them to begin earlier, but it came at the cost of quality. The shoots lacked flavour, which, in my view, damaged the market. With a product like this, you have to respect the season. We always encourage our customers to wait until the natural season begins. Everything is being pushed forward nowadays, but we can't be eating hop shoots at Christmas. Most of our customers understand this, but now we're working extra hard to recover the season. The market has been disrupted by poor-quality product, which hasn't helped consumer confidence."
© Hopscheuten Temmerman
Digitalisation drive
Looking ahead, Jelle is optimistic, but he says the main focus now is on improving internal organisation. "We need to streamline things—especially sales toward the end of the season and expanding our customer base—before we replant. Replanting hop shoots is a major investment, and you only get a harvest after several years. So first, we need to get the business running as smoothly as possible. That includes a lot of digitalisation. My grandfather still wrote invoices by hand, which gave them a personal touch. The service was great, but to move forward, we need to digitise these processes—and that's what we're focusing on in the coming period."
For more information:
Jelle Temmerman
Hopscheuten Temmerman
Provincialeweg 1
2870 Puurs-Sint-Amands, Belgium
Tel: +32 47 23 05 097
info@hopscheutentemmerman.be
www.hopscheutentemmerman.be