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Dutch Wasabi kas

Dutch wasabi cultivation


Wasabi originated from Japan, where wasabi has been grown for hundreds of years. Wasabi is traditionally grown in shaded mountain rivers. At Dutch Wasabi we believe in a sustainable future where products are grown locally as much as possible. In the Netherlands we have all the expertise to make this happen. After two years of pioneering, we started 2018 as the first wasabi grower in the Netherlands.

Dutch Wasabi grows wasabi in a greenhouse in Westland. Wasabi is planted in the spring and takes 18 months to be large enough to harvest. Fresh wasabi has a limited shelf life. Harvesting is therefore done to order.

Biological control

Wasabi is very sensitive to pests, fungi and bacteria diseases. In addition, the right climate is crucial. Wasabi is therefore known as a difficult plant to grow. Luckily, investments in biological control are increasing our knowledge on biological pest and plague control. We are also gaining more and more insight to recognize the various diseases. Despite this, growing wasabi remains challenging.

Future

We get a lot of energy from chefs and consumers who are inspired by our products. We offer products that are difficult to buy but that have a great history in other cultures. In the coming years we will expand our product range and hope to continue to surprise and inspire you. If you have suggestions, please let us know.

Collaboration

Collaborating with partners is a crucial part of our business. From the beginning, we have been supported by companies who believed in us. Rungis was the first to distribute our wasabi to chefs in the Netherlands. Rabobank and Hangelunie provided financial support. BioBest offered us the opportunity to grow sustainably and to deal with the many pests. Wageningen Research Center has conducted research into the cultivation of wasabi for two years and has given us more insight into the cultivation of wasabi. We look forward to the many collaborations that will follow.

Tomatoes, Potted Plants and IT

Dutch Wasabi was founded by Sander van Kampen, Duijvestijn Tomaten and Elstgeest Potplanten. Sander started in 2016 with a small number of plants. With a background in IT, the transition to horticulture was a big one. Yet it seemed a logical step, he had been living among the greenhouses with friends and family as growers and had dreamed of a career as an entrepreneur for years.

Duijvestijn Tomaten en Elstgeest Potplanten started their research into wasabi at WUR in Bleiswijk later that year, together with the WUR and several other companies. Both companies are known for their innovative entrepreneurship with years of horticultural experience. In 2018, forces were joined in Dutch Wasabi.

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