Brassica (the short name of the Brassicaceae family) is a collection of crops that initially originated in moderate climate zones, but through breeding and selection, can now be grown in a wide range of climates. Brassicas (also often referred to as Crucifers or Cole Crops) include over 4,000 species. At Hazera, our main focus on Brassica is centered around cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. These crops are known for their diversity – in terms of color, shape, growing area and use. In addition to their high yields and ease of processing, brassicas offer excellent nutritional value. For example, back in the 18th century, it was found that Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is an excellent source of vitamin C that can be stored and used on long trips.

Hazera has been active in breeding Headed Cabbage (White, Pointed, Red and Savoy Cabbage), Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts from the year it was founded – 1938. Since then, Hazera has achieved great successes with many new and innovative varieties.

Some of our most popular varieties in North America include:

Romanov an early, high yielding red cabbage for processing.

Hazleton a late maturity, green cabbage for storage.

Taurus mid maturity, high quality green cabbage for fresh market or processing.

Cabbice a mid-maturity, green cabbage for fresh market known for its sweet taste.

Brilliant an early maturity Brussels sprouts for fresh market use.

Loughton a late maturity, green cabbage for storage with strong Fusarium resistance.

One of the challenges in breeding these varieties is that they are biennial crops, meaning it takes 2 years to produce seeds.

Recently, Hazera opened its new, state of the art breeding station in Warmenhuizen, The Netherlands. In this facility we focus on creating varieties that will help our customers deal with the issues that are currently most important to them. This means directing our efforts at producing varieties that will reduce the need for labor and chemical protection. Another central focal point is the post-harvest use of our varieties. We evaluate our varieties for storability, processability, taste and shelf life to ensure that our varieties bring added value for everyone throughout the entire supply chain: growers, retailers, processors and consumers.