“The wild garlic season started about two weeks ago," says John Van Laethem. He is from the Belgian company of the same name. They specialize in herbs and edible flowers.
"Demand is good at the moment. The price is, however, on the high side. So, we have noticed that the large supermarkets are waiting before they place orders. The larger volumes will be supplied next week. We expect everyone will then participate fully."
"This year, the product's quality is very good. We have made significant improvements in the wild garlic's packaging over the past two years. Thanks to these improvements, this product's shelf life is much longer than before," says Van Laethem.
“The weather has also worked with us. It hardly freezes at night anymore. This kind of weather means the wild garlic can keep growing. This, in turn, has a positive effect on its shelf life."
Van Laethem has four production areas where wild garlic is being cultivated. "We grow some wild garlic in a greenhouse. However, we cultivate these as flowers. We also produce wild garlic in France, Germany, and Bulgaria."
"The demand for wild garlic has remained very stable over the years. We do, however, see that the Scandinavian market is becoming increasingly important," adds John. Wild garlic is mainly used in the foodservice industry. In the areas where it is cultivated, one can, however, see an increase in household consumption.
Van Laethem's wild garlic is grown completely residue-free. It will be available until around the end of May/beginning of June.
