Sales of cavolo nero are up by 343 per cent at Waitrose.
Championed by the likes of food blogger Deliciously Ella and London food business Hemsley & Hemsley, the vegetable has been an ‘underground’ favourite for years, but with its increased profile, it is now being discovered more widely, and the retailer is tipping it to rival the equally-trendy kale in 2015.
Traditionally used in minestrone soups or as a side dish, shoppers are enjoying cavolo nero as a versatile ingredient for a variety of dishes: for example, on the Waitrose recipe website, page views for cavolo nero, pine nut and basil risotto are up 442 per cent year on year.
As a member of the brassica family, cavolo nero, also known as Tuscan kale and black cabbage, is closely related to kale which may explain its recent popularity. Originally grown in sunny Italy, Waitrose has stocked its own British version for over 15 years, grown in Lincolnshire.
Patrick Keane, Waitrose buyer, said: “Generations of Italians have enjoyed cavolo nero as a versatile, nutritious and tasty vegetable and I’m delighted to see our shoppers joining in. Sales of this delicious green have continued to increase throughout this year and this is something we can only see continuing into 2015.”
Kale and cavolo nero aren’t the only greens proving popular at Waitrose – spring greens are up 23 per cent compared to the same time last year, and spinach is up 19 per cent.
