Spinach is Kiwis’ favourite leafy green, and Statistics NZ has proved it.
Kiwis are officially a nation of spinach lovers. We’re munching our way through hundreds of thousands of bags every week, as spinach sales now represent a third of the leafy green market.
Recently, Statistics NZ updated the Consumer Price Index basket list to include spinach. The basket represents popular food products that Kiwis choose to spend over a sustained period. The basket is reviewed and updated by Statistics NZ regularly.
Spinach growers, LeaderBrand, say that they are not surprised that spinach has entered the Consumer Price Index basket as spinach sales have grown nearly 8 per cent in the last year, the equivalent of almost 700,000 bags.
“We know that Kiwis are looking for easy health alternatives that they can easily incorporate into their busy schedules and spinach hits the mark. Spinach is a soft and delicate leaf and it’s one of the easiest leafy greens you can add to every meal throughout the day.
“Spinach can be included into everything from a smoothie in the morning, adding some leaves to a sandwich or throwing handfuls into your curry, the options are endless,” says Kylie Faulkner, from LeaderBrand.
“We’re pleased to inform Kiwis that as we move into the warmer weather the supply of spinach is going to become more consistent. We are always at the mercy of Mother Nature, particularly through the winter months. Spinach doesn’t love lots of rain which results in less supply, “she says.
As we move into spring, things are starting to heat up and crop cycles will get shorter in the warmer weather with longer daylight hours.
“Our average spinach cycle in winter is about 60 days and during the warmer periods that cuts down to about 25 days from seed to harvest. Here at LeaderBrand we grow our spinach both outside and indoors to ensure a consistent supply. All our salad leaves are triple washed and dried in our state-of-the-art salad house, ready for you to eat at home. We’ve done all the hard part so you can enjoy your favourite salad leaf at home all year round.”
Carmel Ireland from 5+ A Day says that spinach is a good source of folate and a source of vitamin A and potassium, all great for helping your overall health and wellbeing.
“Spinach gives you a huge opportunity to increase your vegetable intake as it’s so versatile. It also provides you with vital nutrients that are important for your health”.
As we move into Spring, the warmer months will bring a great opportunity to enjoy a wide range of seasonal produce such as asparagus, squash and berries. There will also be bountiful amounts of spinach and leafy greens, making it even easier to add one more vegetable to your diet.
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