French vegetable marketer Prince de Bretagne has launched a new cauliflower product that is friendlier both to the environment and consumers.
A lot of the outer, inedible leaves have been removed from the cauliflower so that seven such heads can fit into a box instead of six. In addition, the boxes can be 17cm tall instead of 20cm. The result is that 3,280 more heads can fit onto a truck - an increase of around 40 per cent.
“It is therefore the same transport cost for 40 per cent more cauliflower heads, and it is better for the environment as it reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 50 per cent,” Eléonore Cordier, product manager for brassicas, told Fruitnet.com. “In addition, it is helpful to the consumer since there is less waste and the packaging allows space for recipe ideas, cooking instructions and general communication of the brand and the environmental benefits.”
The cauliflower equally benefits from an extended shelf life, according to Ms Cordier. 'Sometimes the leaves turn yellow,' she said, 'and consumers assume that this reflects the quality of the actual cauliflower, which is totally false. So by cutting the leaves, the product looks better for longer.'
Prince de Bretagne expects the new product to be successful in France, Germany and northern Europe.
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