Grower / producer

The Sweet Palermo grower group

Sweet Palermo peppers are cultivated by the global Sweet Palermo growers group, with farms spread across the world. From Europe to North and South America, Asia, Africa, and even Australia, these growers ensure the finest quality peppers are produced worldwide.

"Two Dutch growers, pioneers in cultivating Sweet Palermo, share their experiences with this exceptional pepper. One of them, Ronald Ton, a grower from Naaldwijk in the Netherlands, highlights key insights. When asked what everyone should know about Sweet Palermo, he made it clear: “That it has an extremely thin skin. It works well in all kinds of dishes, but you can eat it raw as a snack too. Whenever my children go to scout camp, I always give them a couple of boxes; they prefer it over confectionery. Sweet Palermo’s are a tasty snack, just like cucumbers and tomatoes. I’ve noticed they’re also increasingly served at parties too, because of the healthy eating trend. That’s why vegetables are becoming more popular, and not just because people want to eat more healthily but also because they want to do their bit for the climate and the environment. In that case, they’ve come to the right place.”

Marcel van Kester, owner of Red Energy in Poeldijk, Netherlands, shares further insights into the cultivation of Sweet Palermo peppers, offering a deeper look into the growing process: “That it’s produced in a very eco-friendly manner. At our company, we reuse all the water, for example, to reduce waste. And we use all kinds of insects to protect our crops against pests. Thrips, a small insect measuring about 2 millimeters across, is the biggest threat. We use predatory mites to eat the larvae and eggs, and bugs called heteroptera to tackle adult thrips. This means that we hardly have to use any crop protection agents.” Marcel continues telling more about the product itself: “Sweet Palermo is sweeter and crunchier than any other pepper. I’ve heard lots of people say: ‘Once you’ve tasted it, you won’t settle for anything else’. It’s packed with nutrients of course. I’m a strong advocate for healthy eating. I regularly take home a whole box of them for my daughter to share with her classmates at school. I’ve only ever received positive feedback, even during the ‘Visit the Greenhouse’ weekend when the general public could take a look inside Dutch greenhouses. People were queuing up for our pepper soup.”

While interviewing these Dutch growers might make it seem like the Netherlands is the only major production area in Europe, Spain also plays a key role. Not only is Spain a significant cultivator, but it’s also a place where people truly appreciate the surprisingly sweet flavour of this pepper. Watch the video and get inspired!"