The superfood shortage: Hipsters have made kale so popular that farmers are struggling to meet demand
- Kale seed supplier says its run out of every kind of the trendy vegetable
- Frilly vegetable has gained immense popularity over the past three years
- Australian farmers are struggling to keep up with high demand for kale
- Kale is a so-called superfood and is a popular ingredient in green juices
It's the vegetable found in green juices sipped on by the hipster and celebrity population, but kale has become so popular in recent years farmers say there's now a worldwide shortage.
One of the world's major kale seed suppliers, Bejo Seeds based in the Netherlands, says its run out of every kind of the trendy vegetable and farmers across Australia are struggling to keep up with kale demand.
'You could describe it as embarrassing to us, but it's just one of those things that's happened on a global basis,' Tony Hubbard, who runs the company's Australian office, told ABC's Landline.
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Kale, often used in green juices, has become so popular in recent years farmers say there's now a worldwide shortage
'It's caught us out well and truly, we put our hands up to that.'
The fashionable and frilly vegetable, which is a member of the cabbage family, has gained popularity over the last three years and is a regular ingredient in green juices, the drink of choice for many celebrities and hipsters.
Steve Bruynen from Bruynen Farms in Pearcedale, south-east of Melbourne, says his company has had to stop growing red cabbages and leeks because of demand for the superfood.
'I need to the ground to grow the kale,' Mr Bruynen said.
'We probably only planted probably 3,000 or 4,000 plants a season. Now we're up to about 25,000 plants. I still haven't had enough.'
Deborah and Darren Corrigan are among the biggest kale suppliers in Australia and sell to both Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.
They planted 1,500 seedlings a few years back as a trial and now planting 150,000 every week at the Clyde farm, south-east of Melbourne.
Kale, which is a member of the cabbage family, is a regular ingredient in green juices - the drink of choice for many celebrities and hipsters
'It was crazy. I was ringing around Australia to try and get plants to bring back into Victoria to grow,' Mrs Corrigan said.
Kale is Coles supermarket's fastest selling product by far, according to Brad Gorman who runs the company's fresh produce section.
'Kale's been around for three years and for a product to be growing at this rate after that amount of time I think is almost unprecedented,' he said.
Steve Bruynen from Bruynen Farms in Pearcedale, south-east of Melbourne, says his company has had to stop growing red cabbages and leeks because of demand for the superfood
Deborah Corrigan is among the biggest kale suppliers in Australia and sell to both Coles and Woolworths supermarkets
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