OCEANO, CA - What is Kohlrabi? That is the first question I asked Bejo Seeds and Farm Stand Fresh after seeing this unique cabbage/turnip look-alike when I spoke to the team in Monterey last month. To my surprise, it is actually in the same family as kale. Which made me beg the question, could this versatile and delicious item climb the same popularity ladder that kale has over the past few years? I think yes.

Technically, kohlrabi is an incredibly nutritious vegetable with an excellent source of Vitamin C, and does not oxidize when exposed to air, so it makes an excellent kids' snack right alongside the carrot and celery sticks. Visually and flavorfully, the item is unique and delivers a flavor akin to radish/potato/broccoli, so you can see the opportunities here. 

Bejo's kohlrabi varieties can take you right through the season, from early-maturing Kongo to the giant, later-maturing Kossak. Bejo also offers the organically-produced Korist and the purple-skinned Kolibri. For the marketing arm of the Kohlrabi, Farm Stand Fresh Foods (FSFF) has introduced the item to foodservice and retail customers as the trend takes hold.

For Bejo, the company’s new and innovative varieties do not stop at Kohlrabi. Jeff Trickett, Sales and Marketing Director of Bejo Seeds, Inc., tells me, “Bejo has a number of interesting vegetable varieties which we feel have application to current produce trends.  Kale has obviously taken off with consumers and Bejo is the dominant supplier of bunch kale in North America. We believe that Kohlrabi via our giant variety Kossak will have significant opportunities as both a raw snacking item and in cooked dishes. We also have unique types of cabbage which eat more like lettuce with sweeter and finer leaf textures and therefore, can play a strong role in healthy eating. There are about 20 different potential projects waiting for activity.”

FSFF is a highly experienced team of consumer product specialists who have built and grown some of consumers’ favorite food brands.  Jose Marrero, Chief Marketing Officer for Farm Stand Fresh Foods, tells me, “We always start with the consumer in mind, understanding what they are looking for (and not finding consistently) when considering fresh produce, and then matching that need with the right product in the right form. Bejo’s seeds, which produce healthy, nutritious and flavorful varieties of vegetables with some key differentiating characteristics unmatched in the market today, are the key to delivering on those needs.”

FSFF then works closely with its retail and foodservice partners who have a very close pulse on what the consumer is responsive to and develops the marketing plans to generate consumer interest and trial.

Jeff also tells me that consumers are looking for healthy, nutrient dense veggies to place into their diets but that they also want help in terms of how to prepare these items in tasty ways. “Consumers are looking for veggies that provide good eating performance… so in addition to appearance, they need good flavor, texture/mouth feel, recipe performance, etc.  Bejo is bringing new veggies to retail produce that deliver the attributes consumers are looking for.” 

Bejo breeds all of its varieties using traditional methods enhanced with the latest tools and science. Bejo does not develop or market any GMO products. So all of the varieties are proprietary hybrids, developed naturally, marketed by Bejo via partner firms such as Farm Stand Fresh Foods.

Looking forward to what’s to come! Thank you, Bejo and FSFF, for a new flavor profile to add to my repertoire!

Bejo Seeds Farm Stand Fresh Foods