Category: Cabbage

Marshal: 30 Years and still an undeniable star!

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

Happy 30th birthday, Marshal! You are the pointed cabbage that has conquered the market with your fresh taste and quality.

At Hazera, everything is driven by our passion for innovation and our commitment to growers. We develop vegetable varieties that nourish communities and contribute to a strong and sustainable food system. The journey of Marshal, our groundbreaking pointed cabbage, is a testament to this dedication.

It all started with Duchy, the first pointed cabbage to make a significant impact in Western Europe. Developed in the 1980s, Duchy won the hearts of growers and consumers with its unique shape and natural sweetness, earning it the popular name “sweetheart cabbage.”

Growers saw the potential to extend Duchy’s availability and began storing it in cold storage, which extended the season by six weeks. This led to the need for a variety with even better storage qualities—one that would maintain its quality over a longer period. That’s when Marshal came into the picture.

Marshal was specifically developed to redefine the standard of storability. Unlike other varieties, Marshal retains its premium quality even after long storage. It has fewer yellow leaves, a firmer texture, and no black pepper spots. This breakthrough led to the creation of a new market segment: pointed cabbage designed for longer storage without compromising freshness or taste.

Our partners in the Netherlands contributed to Marshal’s success by using Controlled Atmosphere storage, where oxygen in the storage room is limited, and flowpacking techniques, which further extend its shelf life. Thanks to these innovations, Marshal became the retailer’s top choice, appreciated for both its consistency and quality.

“Marshal excels after Controlled Atmosphere storage; the lack of deterioration after opening the storage room is exceptional. Unlike other varieties that may show signs of wilting, yellowing, or loss of structure, Marshal maintains its fresh appearance, firm texture, and sweet taste, even after prolonged storage.” – Maarten Danenberg, Product Manager Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts.

Duchy laid the foundation, and Marshal has strengthened Hazera’s position in the pointed cabbage market. With the addition of Earl and Baron—varieties with improved plant health and better field performance—our portfolio continues to grow, offering tailored solutions for various markets.

Would you like to learn more about Marshal? Contact us!

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Meet the people behind the crops: Juan Montes
Meet the People Behind the Crops: Jose Antonio Zorrilla Lozano

Cabbages: Growing food trend

Posted on Jun 21, 2024

From wraps to kimchi
Sauerkraut may be on the decline, but its consumption has been stable for years.

The way we eat sauerkraut is changing: from stew to an oven dish, as a side dish, or in a salad. “A new, young target group has discovered the health benefits of fermented products. That gives cabbage a boost.

Large part of cabbage for industry

The majority of red cabbage goes to the processing industry. They end up cut into vegetable packets or pre-cooked in jars. About 70% of white cabbage goes to processing plants and other processors. This is preferably done as soon as possible after harvest, according to Maarten Danenberg, product manager of Hazera. The remaining 30% of the white cabbage in the Netherlands ends up on the shelf in its entirety. That proportion is higher with pointed cabbage, says Danenberg: “Pointed cabbage is easier to cut in your own kitchen. And we’re seeing more and more recipes with half or a quarter of pointed cabbage, pan-fried or grilled on the barbecue.”

Hazera’s pointed cabbages Regency & Dutchman

Pointed cabbage is one of the head cabbages that is clearly growing in volume, Danenberg observes: “Not spectacular; a few percent per year. But that increase has been going on for about twenty years.” The development is coming from the United Kingdom, especially to the Netherlands and Germany.” Popular varieties at Hazera are Regency and Dutchman (for summer cultivation) and Marshal (storage). We also see growth in our flat cabbage varieties like Callaway & Catelya for Central Europe, the Balkans and Turkey.

Brassica breeding is part of Hazera’s heritage

It originated with development of varieties for Western Europe, but today we are a global player with a wide assortment of purpose specific varieties. Our Research and Breeding teams are closely connected to our global network of subsidiaries and distributors, through whom we are in touch with the latest industry trends and preferred requirements within the various Brassica crops.

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Meet the people behind the crops: Juan Montes
Meet the People Behind the Crops: Jose Antonio Zorrilla Lozano

Fresh from the field: Three key trends in crop farming

Posted on Nov 08, 2022

Humans have been farming crops for millennia – but the goal remains the same: to feed people. Of course, farming practices have advanced dramatically in the past few centuries, and global pressures continue to drive rapid change in the industry. Reinout de Heer, Portfolio Marketing Director Allium & Crucifers, explores three key trends shaping crop farming and discusses how Hazera’s expertise is paving the way for a more sustainable industry future.

1. Mechanization momentum
Higher labor costs and decreasing labor availability are leading many farmers to consider mechanical harvesting and other new technologies. We’re seeing mechanization trends take hold in places like the Netherlands, the UK, and California, in relation to a wide range of produce. However, with crops such as onions, it’s clear that hand-harvesting means a higher quality product with less damage.This is what makes research into developing new varieties so important. At Hazera, we’re working to test new crop varieties to ensure farmers can invest in the technologies they need, knowing their harvest won’t suffer.

2. Chemical control compliance
With tightening environmental regulation, many growers are looking for alternatives to traditional pesticides and fungicides. Biostimulants are a popular option for Hazera’s customers, being applied to seeds to make plants stronger and more resistant to disease. Product quality can also be boosted through seed pelleting, which creates more rounded seeds, and priming, which means up to five days’ less germination time in the field.

3. Local logic
Harvested crops have long been shipped around the world; however, increases in container transport costs are putting pressure on global food systems. Environmental awareness is meanwhile on the rise, as ‘buy local’ or ‘eat seasonal’ become important consumer trends. At Hazera, we help farmers achieve year-round production with varieties that have good storability and shelf-life properties. Developments in leeks, for instance, which traditionally deteriorate quickly once harvested, are making a big difference. More flexible crop varieties can help customers reduce transport costs, carbon emissions, and food waste, all at once.

Support from the ground up
Around the world, Hazera works in close cooperation with farmers of all kinds of crops to respond effectively to emerging trends. Through trials and other research, we address the industry’s most pressing challenges and develop seed solutions to help agriculturalists – and their plants – thrive.

Want to learn more? Contact us today to see how we can support you.

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Meet the people behind the crops: Juan Montes
Meet the People Behind the Crops: Jose Antonio Zorrilla Lozano

Brassica Days in the Netherlands

Posted on Sep 14, 2022

The annual International Open Days in September are a long and well-known tradition. For many years we have presenting our full product range to international customers in the famous week 39. But times are changing. That’s why we decided to have a more focused scope on our Brassica portfolio this year. So the International Open Days will become the International Brassica Days, which can be visited upon appointment.

Local conditions and customers’ needs vary. The new approach this year to have a more focussed scope will help us to even better understand your needs and wishes. It will give us the opportunity to have more in-depth talks with you on our Brassica portfolio, the challenges you encounter, to give more technical advice for your area and to share the latest market trends and insights.

Brassica in the spotlight
The Brassica Days will take place from 27th until 29th of September in our breeding station in Warmenhuizen, The Netherlands and can be visited upon appointment. The event will focus on Western and Eastern Europe, Balkans and USA. During this event we will present our varieties on our demo field and visit our trial fields. We will talk about challenges in labour and present mechanical harvest solutions. The preparations for this event are in full swing. We are happy to keep you posted on the exact details of the program!

More News

Meet the people behind the crops: Juan Montes
Meet the People Behind the Crops: Jose Antonio Zorrilla Lozano