"The wet and mild November and December saw crops put a lot of tonnage on so here in the UK white cabbage crops were above normal which all growers were surprised about because of the cold and dry spring in 2015," explains Simon Naylor from Naylor Farms. "We all thought the crops were going to be down so the warmer than average November and December actually helped the white cabbage crop bulk up and become a normal yielding season, it was only red cabbage which was down by 30% and this has led to expensive market prices across Europe."
The cabbage acreages are stable in the UK and most growers produce on a contract either for Supermarkets or salad factories.
Naylor Farms' main varieties for coleslaw are Ancoma, Zenon, Mucsuma, Colmar, Storidor.
"Due to the mild winter we have not seen any more demand for coleslaw and the wholesale markets have been stable, but prices have picked up in the last 10 days by 50% on the wholesale market for 10kg white in nets of 8/10 pieces, red cabbage remains expensive and in short supply," according to Simon.
The UK is not a big exporter of cabbage because most growers grow to a contract, but before Christmas the surplus cabbage was exported to many countries in Europe because growers had some high yielding crops due to the warm November and December weather, this surplus that could not go into cold stores has now gone and the UK is in a good position for the summer months when the biggest demand comes for Coleslaw production for the summer BBQs.
Naylor Farms is also the exclusive grower of the Pinkstar Cabbage in Europe. Bred by Syngenta, the cabbage variety Pinkstar gives food processors and retailers a new innovation to create exciting products and retail opportunities.
“Red cabbage is so much more attractive and exciting for customers, compared to conventional white heads,” enthused Simon. “But for the processor, caterer and retailer, it’s a nightmare, with the red colour contaminating everything it touches, including production lines, handling equipment and packaging. Pinkstar gives the same brilliant visual appearance, taste and crunch, whilst remaining totally clean – both in the factory and for the consumer eating experience. It shares all the same potential health benefits from eating cabbage too.”
Syngenta Field Brassica Specialist, Nigel Kingston, highlighted the brassica variety breeding programme has continued to create a number of exciting new initiatives for the sector in recent years – with other developments set to come to fruition soon.
“Innovation in the food sector rarely comes overnight,” said Nigel. “It’s taken a huge investment in time, effort and money, from both Simon and Syngenta, to get Pinkstar established and adopted by food processors to try new ideas and product lines.
“We are now very excited to see the potential extension of Pinkstar coleslaw with retailers and fast food restaurants in the future. It’s set to be enjoyed and appreciated by millions more customers as part of a healthier eating offer.”