Changed demand for fresh herbs in Sweden
The demand for herbs in Sweden is traditionally very seasonal with curly parsley, dill and chives that see a good demand during the summer months and the holiday period. Many fresh herbs are used by chefs for decorative purposes.
– Nowadays, when modern and international dishes become more popular, other types of herbs see an increased demand in the Swedish market, explains Jimmy Gustavsson, Sales Account Manager at Ewerman AB – part of Greenfood Group.
“Restaurants will mainly buy herbs from wholesalers and sometimes from hospitality-based retailers. Because chefs often use the herbs for decorative purposes, this creates demand for greenhouse-grown products without visual shortcomings. “
Traditional greenhouse-grown potted plants are still the most common way of selling herbs, with the exception of dill, parsley and sometimes chives.
“We are also seeing increased demand for other herbs such as mint and coriander from ethnic customers and for international food, but affordable cut herb clusters have not yet reached the usual retailers. I think the margins from retailers in Sweden are sometimes too high on new samples. on-products, so people who buy these products still prefer to go to ethnic markets due to the price difference, but even the average Swedish shopper’s buying behavior usually does not include these products. “
As in other countries, cooking programs have helped increase the demand for fresh herbs and made people aware of different types of herbs as more and more people cook less traditional dishes and try international cuisine. Demand for coriander, basil and many other fresh herbs has grown well in recent times.
Herbs are mostly imported to Sweden, but during the summer season parsley, dill and chives are grown domestically.
For more information:
Jimmy Gustavsson
at Ewerman AB
[email protected]