An all-green, all-edible, 7.5-inch asparagus spear was well received by major chain stores last year. The new product may prove to be the fresh market niche for Michigan asparagus growers expanding into the fresh market, according to John Bakker, director of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (MAAB). Bakker was one of the speakers at the Oceana Asparagus Day in Shelby, Mich. on March 6.

Michigan asparagus growers designed a longer and wider box to hold 7.5-inch, all-edible, all-green spears.

Most asparagus growers around the world cut their asparagus underneath the ground, leaving a white and woody section of the spear. Bakker said historically the spear for the fresh market includes a nine-inch spear, with approximately 1 1/2 inches on the bottom that needs to be discarded.

Michigan workers typically snap asparagus above the ground leaving the tough, woody portion in the field. If you need a nine-inch spear and leave two inches in the field you have to grow an 11-inch spear, Bakker said. “It’s quite amazing what happens to the head between eight and 11 inches,” said Bakker about the taller spears with undesirable, not-so-tight tips.

“Michigan has always been at a disadvantage,” said Bakker. The all-green, all edible 7.5-inch spear offers a tighter tip and higher quality, he said. Michigan is able to produce asparagus for eight weeks during May and June.

“We feel we can deliver so much better quality in a 7.5-inch spear,” said Bakker. “This is going to be our niche in the fresh market.”

The decision to go with the 7.5-inch spears, led to the creation of a new box for shipments to chain stores. With shorter spears with less weight, growers needed a shorter box with a little bit larger footprint. It needed to be longer and wider and a little bit shorter to be able to pack the same amount of pounds.

Al Dietrich, an asparagus grower from Kent City, Mich., said the Meijer chain charges a $1 per box warehousing fee. Growers decided to go to a box that could hold 28 pounds, rather than 15 pounds, to offset these charges, he said. Dietrich worked with a graphic designer to come up with the new ventilated box labeled, “Premium Asparagus, All Edible, Hand Snapped, Premium Product, Home-Grown Freshness.”

The new box and spears were test marketed in the Grand Rapids, Mich. area and were well received.

The 7.5-inch spear is also the same length harvested for the processing market, which makes it easier for workers during harvest and helps growers be a little bit more versatile, according to Bakker.

Meijer Inc. with 156 stores in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky, is the biggest user of Michigan asparagus, according to Mark Christianson, a producer buyer and merchandiser with Meijer. He said Meijer would look foolish if they didn’t sell Michigan asparagus when in season.

“We sell tons of asparagus. It’s a huge vegetable,” Christianson said. Before Michigan asparagus, Meijer buys from California and then Washington state. After Michigan’s harvest season Meijer buys imported product from countries such as Peru, Christianson said.

Asparagus Co-op
Michigan asparagus growers have looked into the future and realize shifting from mostly processing into the fresh market is necessary to stay viable.

Last year Michigan fresh asparagus growers formed a cooperative to supply fresh asparagus to buyers through their growing season. Approximately 12 growers are members of Michigan Asparagus Growers Inc. with more interest shown from other growers, according to Bakker.

Co-op members share information, facilitate deliveries and ensure the timely delivery of fresh product.

Asparagus Enterprises Update
Asparagus Enterprises, Inc. an offshoot of MAAB, is currently for sale. The board of directors of Asparagus Enterprises decided to sell the exclusive rights to manufacture, label and sell “Esparrago” Asparagus Guacamole and Chunky Asparagus Salsa.

Bakker said eight bids from individuals and specialty food companies will be reviewed for the sale of the asparagus products. The bid deadline for Asparagus Enterprises was April 16, according to Bakker. The sale will include inventory of finished product, lids, jars, recipes and labels, as well as manufacturing rights.

Asparagus Enterprises was started in 1999 and was separate from MAAB, because retail/wholesale products didn’t fit into MAAB’s area of responsibility, according to Bakker. Sales of the Asparagus Guacamole (mild and zesty) have exceeded 6,000 cases over the last year while Chunky Asparagus Salsa is a new product that was launched in July 2002.

Tim Powers, who was hired in 1999 to sell the value-added products was laid off from his position earlier this year, according to Bakker. This was due to the decision to sell the products.

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