Category: cabbage

As we look ahead to another promising year, there’s one variety that continues to stand out in our cabbage portfolio, Cali. Reliable, flexible, and high‑performing, Cali has earned the confidence of growers across early spring, summer, and autumn production windows.

Cali is built for performance. With 80 growing days from transplanting to harvest, it offers growers the advantage of an early variety without compromising quality. Its uniformity in head size, maturity, and shape allows for smooth harvest planning and predictable market presentation, key benefits for the fresh market.

Producing 3–5 lb round, green, attractive heads, Cali combines visual appeal with internal strength. The heads are well covered, offering natural protection in the field, and the compact core with excellent internal fill boosts pack-out efficiency. With a transplant density recommendation of 30,000+/acre, Cali drives strong yield potential while maintaining consistency across the field.

Its high density and uniform head structure make it especially suitable for the fresh market, where appearance and reliability matter most. And with HR to FoC, Cali continues to deliver resilience in environments where Fusarium poses challenges.

We take pride in varieties that bring value to our growers, and Cali does exactly that. It’s a variety that works when you need it to, performs across seasons, and supports strong market quality.
Here’s to a prosperous year ahead for Cali—may it continue to deliver the dependable performance our growers expect and deserve.

— José Arias, PD Specialist – West Coast

For years now, Taurus has been quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, becoming one of the most in‑demand green cabbages in the South. When I visit growers, walk fields, or talk with dealers, the same message comes up over and over again: “Taurus just performs.” And that, more than anything, explains why demand keeps rising.

Handles the Heat
Growing cabbage in the South isn’t easy. High temperatures and humidity can quickly stress a crop. Taurus was built for these conditions. It holds strong plant vigor and maintains uniform head development even when the heat turns up. While some varieties struggle, Taurus stays consistent.

Strong Black Rot Resistance
Black rot pressure is a reality in the Southeast. Taurus brings strong resistance, helping protect yield and quality when disease pressure rises. That added security gives growers more confidence throughout the season.

Reliable Yields
At the end of the day, growers need tonnage. Taurus produces heavy, dense, uniform heads that consistently fill the bin. That reliability makes harvest planning easier and helps protect margins.

Dual Purpose
One of Taurus’s strongest advantages is its versatility.
For fresh market growers, it offers attractive, round to slightly flat-round heads with excellent density and visual appeal. For processors, uniform sizing and internal quality improve cutting, packing and forecasting efficiency.

Proven Performance Drives Demand
Demand for Taurus continues to grow throughout the Southeast because results speak louder than promotion. Growers who trial it often expand acreage the following season. Dealers continue to recommend it because it performs consistently across regions and management styles.
In our industry, the strongest endorsement is repeat planting. Taurus has earned that trust, not through claims, but through performance in the field.

And when a cabbage variety delivers strength in heat, strong black rot resistance, reliable tonnage, and market versatility, it’s easy to understand why growers keep coming back.

– Laura Piacenti, PD Specialist

Growers today want cabbage varieties that don’t just look good in trials, they need hybrids that deliver season after season, across regions, and under real production pressure. Three standouts continue to rise above the rest for their consistency, demand, and proven field performance: Roadie, Bourbon, and Taurus.

Roadie, the red rhat moves
Roadie remains one of the most reliable red cabbages on the market. It’s one of the few reds with true, sustained demand, backed by steady orders from key dealers and producers, and more. Growers trust Roadie because it performs predictably, holds well, and delivers the uniformity and color the market expects. When you need a red that sells, Roadie is the dependable choice.

Bourbon: early, clean, and built for Northern success
In northern markets, Bourbon continues to shine. Its early maturity, clean frame, and uniform head shape make it a favorite for growers who want a reliable early‑season green. Bourbon fits tight planting windows, handles variable spring conditions, and consistently produces a marketable packout. It’s a practical, profitable option for growers who want a strong start to their season.

Taurus: the Southern powerhouse
For southern growers, Taurus has become a go‑to green cabbage. Known for its size, vigor, and heat tolerance, Taurus brings the field presence and yield potential that high‑heat regions demand. It stands up to tough conditions, fills out beautifully, and delivers the tonnage growers rely on for strong returns. Taurus is a proven performer where it matters most.

Focusing on Roadie, Bourbon, and Taurus gives growers a clear, confident lineup: one standout red and two powerhouse greens that consistently deliver results. These varieties have earned their place through real‑world performance, strong dealer demand, and repeat success across multiple regions. They represent dependable, profitable opportunities for growers looking to plant with confidence and harvest with certainty.

– Rafa Mora, Eastern Sales Manager USA & Venezuela

Global cabbage breeder Manu Parmar shares his passion for developing varieties that deliver real value to growers. Working with a crop grown worldwide, he focuses on improving yield, quality, disease resistance, and resilience to changing climates.

What initially drew you to cabbage breeding, and what do you enjoy most about working with this crop?
What inspires me about cabbage breeding, is the fact that cabbage being a wide adaptable crop is grown around the world, having wide varieties, nutrition value and good profitability and yield.
I enjoy the most is selecting cabbages and see how tangible improvements that are more productive, resilient, and better suited to our growers.

What are some key goals or priorities you’re currently focusing on in the cabbage breeding program?
Our key priorities are developing sustainable cabbage varieties to improve yield, quality, disease resistance, resilience to climate change & delivering greater benefit and profit to our customers.

Have you observed any promising traits or results recently that you’re particularly excited about?
Varieties like Cabbice & Cali are flexible varieties for the early “green” fresh West coast, US market. It is exciting to see the uniformity, stability, good sanitation, & consistent performance under different conditions for more reliable production for our growers.

How do grower and market needs influence your breeding decisions?
Breeding decisions are strongly driven by grower as well as retailers and consumers feedback to ensure the final product performs well across the entire value chain. So at Hazera we focus on developing cabbage varieties that meet both needs with stable yields, uniform size, good storage life and quality.

Is there anything upcoming in the cabbage pipeline that you think will be especially meaningful for the market?
Yes, we have several promising hybrids progressing through the pipeline that could be very meaningful for the esp. for the US market.
The new varieties e.x Roadster is red cabbage variety with 75-85 growing days, round shape for fresh market.
In white cabbage, we are coming up with better varieties suited for west coast and are now in developmental stage.

Anything fun or personal you’d like the readers to know about you or your work?
I feel proud to be part of cabbage breeding team where we at Hazera have a heritage of developing varieties across the world. It can take many years to develop a new variety and the final success are rewarding to support our Gowers that benefit from them.

Roadster has established itself as a reliable and uniform early red cabbage variety. Its strong performance, especially under heat stress, makes it a preferred option for growers targeting early markets. The variety appears frequently in internal portfolio documents and strategic crop plans, showcasing its importance within the Hazera red cabbage lineup.

Early Maturity and Field Performance
Roadster is recognized as an early-maturing red cabbage, typically performing within a 75 days harvest window after transplanting. Trial results demonstrate its capacity to produce round, dense heads with a short core, which is valuable for reducing trimming losses. Its high yield potential and dependable performance make it a strong competitor in early cabbage programs.

Uniformity and Harvest Efficiency
One of Roadster’s strongest attributes is its uniformity. Field trials consistently show even head size and shape. This uniformity simplifies harvesting, reduces labor needs, and improves packing efficiency—major advantages for commercial growers.

Heat Tolerance and Field Stability
Roadster demonstrates good performance under warm growing conditions. Its ability to maintain quality and structure during heat events makes it ideal for early plantings in regions with high temperatures. This trait provides growers with flexibility and confidence in unpredictable seasons.

Disease Resistance
Roadster carries High Resistance (HR) to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. conglutinans (FoC). This resistance adds security for growers dealing with soilborne diseases and supports long-term field sustainability.

Why Growers Prefer Roadster
Consistent performance, dependable uniformity, and excellent eating quality make Roadster a grower favorite. The variety delivers crisp texture and balanced flavor while maintaining strong agronomic traits. Its placement in internal sales plans and cold-crop market strategies confirms its value within the Hazera portfolio.

Roadster is a dependable option for growers seeking early maturity, strong heat tolerance, uniform harvests, and excellent flavor. Its proven performance across trial locations and its strategic role in the company’s crop plans solidify Roadster as a leading early red cabbage variety.

– Barry Younkin, Western Sales Manager

During the recent Hazera Open Days in the Netherlands, we had the opportunity to sit down with Maarten Danenberg, our Regional Product Manager for Brassica, to discuss Hazera’s continued innovations in cabbage breeding. With Brassica being a key component of Hazera’s history, it is exciting to see how we are adapting and excelling in today’s agricultural landscape.

Hazera’s Legacy in Brassica
Brassica breeding has been part of Hazera’s DNA since its origins in developing varieties tailored for Western Europe. Today, Hazera has expanded globally, offering a wide assortment of purpose-specific varieties that meet the diverse needs of different regions. As Maarten shared, the Research and Breeding teams work closely with Hazera’s global network of subsidiaries and distributors, staying updated on trends and preferences in various markets.

The Future of Sustainable Brassica Production
In light of the increasing demand for fresh produce and the pressures on natural resources, Hazera remains committed to producing high-quality, sustainable Brassica varieties. Maarten emphasized that one of Hazera’s core goals is to meet these demands without compromising the quality or nutritional value of crops like cabbage, which are known for their high yield and health benefits.

Hazera’s Leading Cabbage Varieties
One of the highlights of our conversation was learning about the specific cabbage varieties that Hazera has developed, which address different climates, consumer needs, and storage preferences.

Campbell: High-Yielding White Cabbage for Long Storage
One of the standout varieties is Campbell, a high-yielding white cabbage that performs exceptionally well in continental climates. It is designed for medium to long storage and is a favorite for growers looking for robust, reliable storage cabbage.
• Maturity: 140 days
• Density: 35,000 plants per hectare
• Head size: 2.5–4 kg
• Storage: Can be stored until June
• Resistance: Strong resistance to thrips, intermediate resistance (IR) to Xanthomonas campestris (Xcc), and high resistance (HR) to Fusarium oxysporum (FoC)

Campbell’s durability makes it an ideal choice for growers seeking a high-yield cabbage that can withstand longer storage periods.

Tyson: Easy-Growing Variety for Short to Medium Storage
Next is Tyson, another high-yielding white cabbage variety, but tailored for shorter to medium storage. Growers appreciate Tyson for its ease of cultivation and reliable performance.
• Maturity: 110 days or more
• Usage: Designed for short to medium storage
• Notable Traits: Strong and reliable variety

Tyson is a go-to choice for growers who need a cabbage that is easy to manage while still delivering excellent yields and storage performance.

Cali: Early and Flexible White Cabbage for Fresh Market
Lastly, Cali is an early and flexible variety that performs well in both summer and autumn, offering growers excellent yield and market versatility. With uniform heads, this variety is ideal for fresh market purposes.
• Maturity: 80 growing days from transplanting to harvest
• Head size: 3–5 lbs.
• Recommended transplant density: 30,000+ plants per acre
• Traits: Well-covered, round, and attractive greenheads
• Usage: Dual purpose, with high density making it ideal for fresh market
• Resistance: High resistance (HR) to Fusarium oxysporum (FoC)

Cali’s high-density growth and attractive green heads make it a top choice for fresh market growers.

Commitment to Excellence in Brassica Breeding
As Hazera continues to lead the way in Brassica breeding, the company’s commitment to sustainability, quality, and innovation remains clear. With varieties like Campbell, Tyson, and Cali, Hazera is providing growers around the world with versatile, high-yielding cabbage crops that meet a wide range of needs. Whether it is the resilience of Campbell, the reliability of Tyson, or the flexibility of Cali, Hazera’s cabbage innovations are a testament to the company’s dedication to supporting the future of agriculture.

Would you like to know more? Contact us or check out out cabbage portfolio.