At Q-cape, the South African pumpkin season has officially begun. The company cultivates organic pumpkins and sweet potatoes in South Africa specifically for the European market. "The advantage is that South Africa has a reverse growing season, which allows us to complement the European season perfectly. The moment the European supply runs out, we switch to South Africa," says Leo Stoker.
The Flevoland-based company has now been cultivating on South Africa's west coast and in the Northern Cape for ten years, covering approximately 73 hectares. In addition to orange Hokkaido pumpkins, the company also grows Butternut squash. "The outlook for this year is promising. The harvest has gone well, the quality of the pumpkins looks excellent, and the market conditions are favorable," says Leo.
Q-cape supplies organic pumpkins and sweet potatoes to European retail, wholesale, and catering sectors. "There may be opportunities outside of Europe in the future, but for now, our focus remains solely on the European market. Our main markets are Germany, Austria, France, and Scandinavia, with Germany by far being the largest," Leo explains. "At Q-cape, we enjoy working with our partners to expand this category and help make pumpkins better known and more popular."
By focusing on cultivation in South Africa, Q-cape can rightly be considered a South Africa specialist. Leo doesn't believe that focusing on a single production country is a major risk. "We have long believed in the opportunities South Africa has to offer. South Africa is an excellent region for growing vegetables with its fertile soil and sunny climate. Our staggered cultivation approach ensures that we have numerous opportunities. And with cultivated areas shrinking across Europe, this presents significant growth potential for a country like South Africa. However, we only expand when demand justifies it."
At Q-cape, the South African organic squash season runs from January to June. "In June and July, most retailers source their pumpkins from southern Europe, before switching back to the Dutch season at the end of July," says Leo. He is optimistic about pumpkin consumption. "Pumpkins offer the versatility that modern consumers increasingly seek. There was a temporary dip at the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, but sales have since recovered, and the outlook for the entire organic market is very positive."
The same growers in South Africa also supply Q-cape with orange-fleshed organic sweet potatoes from April to September. "Through close supervision by a dedicated group of professional growers, we maintain strict control over taste, quality, and volume. We are proud of our organic growers and see it as a challenge to stand out with top-quality products alongside them. Moreover, we value long-term relationships more than short-term profits," concludes Stoker.
For more information:
Leo Stoker
Q-cape
De Oude IJssel 9c
8253 PV Dronten
Tel:+31 (0) 85 00 21 020
leostoker@qcape.nl
www.qcape.nl