The worst Kept Secret of the Food industry
Microgreens have gained significant attention in recent years due to their exceptional nutritional value and intense flavors, however few outside professional foods services know of them or have ever used them.
In addition the industry is highly dis-aggregated with larger cities having many small business suppling to their local markets. The low barrier to entry make getting started much easier but low consumer awareness can make growth difficult leading to many smaller producers in place of a few larger suppliers.
Lets review some of the reasons why Microgreens are one of the worst kept secrets in the food industry.
It is a Healthy Super Food:
Microgreens are too healthy for there own good. They are incredibly rich in nutrients. They can contain up to 40 times more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants compared to their mature counterparts. Because of this they are all too often relegated to the Health food market or considered to be supplemental diet alternatives.
Facts, the vast majority for people are chronically under nourished and lack many of the nutrient’s needed for a complete diet. With just a few a few grams a day many would experience meaningful increases to there overall health and vitality
It’s often the Chef’s secret ingredient:
Chef’s can be very protective of their culinary creations, and they should be. There is an amassing amount of thought, expertise and effort that goes into a restaurants menu. What they serve up is in essence there IP (intellectual property), and the reason you chose to eat there in the first place vs another place. Microgreens maybe incorporated into the dish or simply used as a garnish to add to the visual experience. In the end how and what they use is unique to every restaurant.
Truth, Despite their small size, microgreens pack a powerful flavor punch. They can add unique and intense flavors to dishes, ranging from spicy and peppery to earthy and nutty, depending on the type of microgreen. They are extraordinary versatile and limited only by a persons imagination
It is still a developing Industry:
Microgreens are not new and have been used for millennia throughout the world. A microgreen is a specific stage in a plants growth within the first few weeks of development. This has made them impractical for common use with traditional agricultural methods. It is only with the advent of controlled environment agriculture that microgreens have become available year round and cultivation now unhindered by there native environments
Challenges. Local microgreen farmers have been bursting on the scene in North America for only about 10 years now, so the market is still in its infancy. Consumer education and awareness are some the biggest challenges still ahead. The culture in the growers space is still highly cooperative with many social groups and online courses hosted by successful farms available. Market saturation is not expected to reach its peak for several decades so there is still a great deal of space for new comers in the industry.
For individual consumers there has never been a better time for them to help support local businesses and start cooking like the pro’s at home.
Conclusion
To sum up, stereo types about how microgreens are used, limited consumer awareness, the competitive nature of fine dinning, and a fragmented and still developing industry are some of the reasons that microgreens are not yet common place in homes across the country. As consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about what they are eating and where their food comes from, the microgreens industry is positioned to help meet the demand for better, more local, and a more sustainable food supply