Andreas BÜhler

Andreas Bühler grows two varieties of Belgian endive, yellow and carmine (red), for Novae.

Did you know that …

endives are grown in two stages:

First, it takes 150 days for the root to reach maturity and only then is it harvested and placed in storage at sub-zero temperatures from 2 weeks to 12 months.

It takes an additional 21 days of forcing in a dark room to grow the endives’ foliage which is then harvested, cut, and delivered.

Andreas Bühler is the co-founder of Légufrais SA, a vegetable producing company located in the Gros-de-Vaud region. The company works with three sectors: greenhouse production in Ependes (tomatoes, cucumbers, and lamb’s lettuce), open-field production in Oppens (lettuce, zucchini, fennel, and cauliflower) and Belgian endive forcing.

Respecting crop rotation and the rules of integrated production (PEP) ensure the quality of the produce which are all grown according to strict Suisse Garantie and Swissgap standards, while respecting the environment. Throughout the year, about 60 – 70 employees take care of the planting, care, harvesting, packaging, and finally, the distribution of the produce.

Photo: Endive forcing