Koppert Cress Announces Dart Fresh as South West Distributor

Koppert Cress is the world’s leading grower in terms of horticulture and microgreens. Its history dates back to 1987 and it has now become the market-leading supplier of cresses and micro greens to chefs across the globe.   Established in 1957, Dart Fresh has developed into the leading foodservice supplier in the South West and has just launched a fresh fish arm to the business, as well as a state-of-the-art butchery unit onsite creating a ‘One Stop Shop for Chefs’.

Dart Fresh customers come from all aspects of the foodservice and hospitality sectors. No other foodservice business in the south west boasts such a broad and varied customer base.  This is why Koppert Cress is truly delighted to be joining forces with such a prolific foodservice business to educate and train chefs in menu development and the versatility of its micro greens, cresses and their use as an ingredient in the dish as opposed to a garnish.

John Pritchard, Director at Dart Fresh, is delighted with the announcement that comes just in time for the reopening of restaurants, pubs and hotels, he says:

“Ongoing education for professional chefs is imperative and menu development can be enhanced by innovative food pairings and cress being used as ingredients as opposed to ‘just a garnish’. This is great news all round and I look forward to adding value to chefs’ knowledge in micro greens and cresses with Koppert and adding the eighty varieties of microgreens, cresses, specialities, leaves, blossoms and flowers to our existing range of over 3000 products.  Chefs can now look forward to being able to order Koppert Cress along with their fruit, veg, specialist ingredients, dry goods, fresh fish and locally-reared meat expertly processed in our new butchery unit.”

Through working with chefs on a global level, it is apparent that there is a lack of education and training in this area and Koppert Cress intends to work with Dart Fresh to bridge this knowledge gap; Who better to do it than those who understand the qualities, varieties and potential of the many fantastic products grown by the market-leading cress producer.

To this end, Dart Fresh will be inviting chefs to their Exeter based headquarters for menu development days with Koppert Cress, pairing it with the fabulous range of fresh produce on offer.

Paul Da Costa Greaves, Koppert Cress UK-UAE Culinary Countries Manager said

“As a Chef ‘new boy from London’ arriving in Devon in the late 1990’s, l have had a long-standing relationship with John and Dart Fresh dating back to when he used to supply my restaurant in Topsham, near Dart Fresh HQ in Exeter HQ.  I asked John for Koppert Cress and he organised supply for me, always going the extra mile if I asked for specialist ingredients.

Paramount in my kitchen were the values of quality, reliability, consistency and availability and I always got that from Dart Fresh. The tables have now turned and I am delighted to now be supplying John at Dart Fresh with the Koppert Cress range, so that chefs across the south west can benefit in being able to get the market-leading microgreens and cress.

We will offer every Dart Fresh customer an educational brochure explaining in great depth the difference between Microgreens and Cress and their very own personal Cressperience to pair our cresses with their menus. This free, perfect-bound manual achieves a combination of theory and practical understanding and food pairing combinations”.

A hard copy of the Koppert Cress Microgreens Manual is now available at Dart Fresh.

Socially distanced ‘Cressperience’ individual chef taster days showcasing the range of Koppert Cress are already taking place at Dart Fresh and this month will see a focus on fresh fish and shellfish.

Koppert Cress has an impressive range of produce that perfectly compliment fish.

Dart Fresh is a One Stop Shop for Chefs…

Olivier Certain, of The Michelin-starred Masons Arms at Knowstone, is very much looking forward to attending Dart Fresh at the end of this month for a day of socially-distanced menu development, he said

“I really enjoy using Koppert Cress as an ingredient, not just a garnish.  I will be doing a signature dish of Blue Sea Crab, Pea Risotto with Koppert Cress Sea Fennel, Oyster Leaves, Shisho Green, Salty Fingers and the newly launched Moai Caviar or sea grapes  – It’s great news that we can now get Koppert Cress from Dart Fresh!”

Koppert Cress has received great feedback from the chefs and fresh produce suppliers who have attended similar days at Dart Fresh so far – last month it was Dartmoor Beef and Lamb and the December session focused on Indian Gastronomy with celebrity chef Dipna Anand.

While showcasing the fabulous range of produce available at Dart Fresh, menu development days highlight the benefits of using and eating microgreens, flavour profiles, food pairings, as well as recipe suggestions whilst actually tasting the products alongside freshly cooked food to have the 3D experience of how the flavours can change or enhance your menu offering.

If you’re not based in the South West and can’t make it along to visit Dart Fresh HQ in Exeter for a personal Cressperience, then an electronic version of the Koppert Cress manual is also available. For further information please contact Paul Da Costa Greaves at paul@koppertcress.com

Photography credit: John Blackwell