One of the most popular vegetables, cauliflower, has increased in price in many stores and is sometimes not for sale. Prices are rising towards 4 or even 7 euros, while a euro or 2 is usual. Due to disappointing weather this winter, cauliflowers from Spain are hardly available, importers and supermarkets report.
At supermarkets such as Jumbo and Plus, the cauliflower is not always in the store, spokespersons confirm. Fresh cauliflowers are also not offered in their online stores. Albert Heijn and ALDI say they can deliver, although they also notice the cauliflower shortage. That is why you bought a cauliflower at Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Plus at the beginning of December for prices between 1.89 and 1.99 euros. Now the first two ask much more: 3.39 euros.
“It’s an absurd winter,” admits greengrocer Robert Vogel of AGF-Direct. His company imports cauliflower from Spain in the winter, when no cauliflower comes from the country in the Netherlands. “It was too hot in Spain in December, so cauliflowers became available faster than expected, but now we have less supply.”
In January it was too cold, especially in northern Spain, with frost at night and a daytime temperature of a few degrees above zero. “When it freezes, cauliflower no longer grows, so the supply is now considerably less,” says a Jumbo spokesperson.
According to Vogel, it is not surprising that availability and prices fluctuate so much. “It is a capricious vegetable that is sensitive to the weather. Prices are often slightly higher in the winter, but this year it is going very fast.”
At auctions, a cauliflower sometimes costs more than 5 euros
According to Vogel, supermarkets have sometimes agreed on contract prices and deliveries, but there are simply far fewer cauliflowers available. Recently he was only able to supply 20 percent of the cauliflowers from Spain compared to what he normally can.
If deliveries are disappointing, supermarkets on the free market have to look for extra cauliflowers. Vogel says that cauliflowers are now sometimes sold for more than 5 euros each at free auctions in France. Partly for this reason, cauliflowers are often even more expensive at greengrocers than in the supermarket, with prices exceeding 6 euros.
Cauliflower from refrigerator or freezer
Supermarkets cannot always sell fresh cauliflower due to the shortages, but point to alternatives that are available. Such as small cauliflowers or pre-packaged cauliflower florets from the refrigerator or freezer. They do not want to make too many statements about the exact price structure for competitive reasons.
“Because the price is partly influenced by supply and demand, it has risen recently. However, it is not the case that we currently pass on the full costs in our sales prices,” says a Jumbo spokesperson. “We always look for a good balance.”
Albert Heijn also recognizes the effect on the price, because it is colder than in other winters in Spain. Although a spokesperson emphasizes that cauliflower is always a bit more expensive in winter, because it has to come from Spain.
When it gets warmer, more cauliflowers will soon appear
Jumbo and Plus promise that cauliflowers will soon be “fully available” again. Vogel thinks deliveries could increase again within a few weeks if the weather in Spain normalizes.
“But it is still too cold in northern Spain,” says the greengrocer. From the end of April, the first Dutch cauliflowers will be back in the shops.
