This year has been especially difficult so far for the production of vegetables that require a greater energy investment, because while energy prices (gas, fuels and electricity), are showing some signs of improvement, they are still high.
"It has been a complicated year for chicory. Costs have truly skyrocketed, but selling prices have hardly changed," says Philippe Blanquet, of the Navarre-based Cichorium. "Chicory has a long and complex production cycle. On the one hand, it is a vegetable with a very long cycle in the field, where the prices of raw materials for the production have also skyrocketed. On the other hand, the root storage and forcing phase (indoor cultivation - vertical farming) is energy-based."
"Moreover, this year we have had a very hot summer, which has entailed an even greater energy expenditure, considering that the raw material for chicory production is frozen for a year," says Philippe. This situation has affected all European chicory growers and everything suggests that it will have a significant impact on the sector.
However, Cichorium's business is not based exclusively on the production of organic chicory. 
The company founded by Philippe Blanquet, which is a specialist in this vegetable, has all the cultivation processes under control, from the supply of roots, provision of cultivation advice and consultancy, to the implementation at an international level of projects for chicory production in its patented cultivation modules.
"We manage these projects from start to finish. We help design the companies and do the technical follow-up remotely, in addition to supplying the roots for our production units."
"Our cultivation modules have been developed and patented by Cichorium, and allow us to grow chicory without the need to use any phytosanitary products or fertilizers. The whole system is stable and has been simplified to ensure that the amount of parameters to be monitored is reduced to a minimum, so that anyone anywhere in the world can start (with our help) to produce chicory more easily. This is the result of 35 years of experience."
Production projects have already been launched in Martinique and Tahiti, two countries that are former French colonies, so the product is well known there. Chicory is being grown there for the first time thanks to Cichorium. "Still, there isn't only demand and the possibility of expansion in countries with a French, Belgian or Dutch colonial past; our system is also in demand in countries where, for climatic reasons, the product cannot be grown, such as Iceland."
"In fact, to date, we are the only company in the world capable of carrying out such projects. Moreover, customers are very happy with the results and with the value and knowledge we provide to them," says Philippe.
For more information:
Cichorium
Polígono Las Labradas
Vial Comunidad Foral de Navarra, 32
31500 Tudela, Navarre, Spain
Tel.: +34 948 413 077
[email protected]
www.cichorium.com
www.endibio.org