Red onions play by different rules than yellow ones. Colour, even size and a strong skin are what count, because they reach the plate raw and catch the customer's eye on the shelf. We grow one proven variety: Redtide F1. In this post we explain what sets it apart, why we chose it and what it suits best.
Redtide F1 in brief
Redtide F1 is a Red Baron type hybrid. It forms round onions with an intense, burgundy-violet colour and a strong, well-fitting skin. It stands out for very good evenness of the bulbs in the field and high health, so when well managed it is suited to long storage. This combination of colour, firmness and shelf life makes it the only red variety in our programme.
Why one and not several? Because with red onions the buyer looks first at colour and evenness. It is better to grow one variety repeatably and well than to mix several with different shades and sizes.
Why we chose Redtide F1
We introduced red onions to broaden the offer and the crop rotation alongside the yellow onion that dominates here. Redtide F1 won on three things that matter to the buyer.
The first is colour. The intense burgundy holds even under the skin, which shows when cutting and peeling. The second is the strong, dry skin, which sits well on the onion and protects it in transport. The third is health and shelf life: a healthy, well-skinned onion withstands long storage far better than a soft, thin-skinned one.
| Feature | Redtide F1 |
|---|---|
| Type | red, Red Baron type |
| Colour | intense, burgundy-violet |
| Shape | round, even |
| Skin | strong, well-fitting |
| Strong point | colour, health, shelf life |
| Use | retail, peeling, long storage |
A colour that holds beneath the skin
In red onions the colour is not only the outer skin. In Redtide F1 the burgundy-violet shade reaches deeper into the flesh, which shows once the onion is cut and peeled. For packers and processors this matters: the onion does not lose its look after handling, and rings and slices keep a clear colour. That is why this variety works where the red onion is meant to be seen on the plate, not just sit in a bag.
We also reinforce the colour through agronomy. A healthy plant with a strong root system feeds the onion with nutrients for longer, and even ripening gives a uniform shade across the whole batch. That is the difference between an onion that looks the same in every crate and one that is lighter one time and darker the next.
Red alongside yellow
For us the red onion is a complement, not a replacement. The core of the programme is the yellow Rijnsburger type onion in the Hybelle and Hysinger F1 varieties, which we describe in our post on yellow onion varieties. Redtide F1 adds a segment the yellow one will not cover: salads, garnish, raw dishes and packers looking for colour on the shelf. You will find both onions in our onion offer, and the details of the red one on the red onion page.
We grow our onions on the Żuławy alluvial soils, whose parameters are close to the Dutch polders. These are soils where the onion feels at home, and our yields reach around 60 tonnes per hectare.
From field to crate: how we keep the red one in quality
Even colour and size do not appear out of thin air. They start in the field and finish in the store.
In the field we work with precision farming: GPS guidance with RTK correction and even sowing give a uniform onion, so after sorting more of the crop falls into the wanted size. We describe our whole way of growing in the guide to growing onions in Żuławy.
After harvest the onion goes into our own store of around 1,300 tonnes. First we dry it for a few days, close the neck and remove excess moisture, and only then it goes into long storage. This lets us steer sales over time and deliver red onions outside the harvest peak too. How exactly we do this is explained in our post on storing onions. We match the size to the buyer on the sorting line, which we cover in the text on onion size for processing.
Red onion in wholesale
For packers and processors it is not only the onion itself that counts, but also consistency and documentation. With us:
- We pack in the form the buyer needs: loose, big bag, 15 kg and 10 kg sacks and smaller.
- We select every batch for firmness, colour and dry skin.
- We hold GlobalG.A.P. and GRASP certificates, and we run the farm according to the principles of Integrated Crop Production.
- We carry out analyses of pesticide residues, heavy metals and substances harmful to health.
- We send a free sample so the buyer can judge the colour and size themselves.
We calculate the price based on current market rates. How cooperation and delivery forms work in wholesale is described in more detail in our post on onions from Żuławy in wholesale.
Frequently asked questions
What sets the Redtide F1 red onion apart?
Its intense, burgundy-violet colour, strong skin and very good evenness of the bulbs. It is healthy and stores well, which is why it suits retail, peeling and long storage.
What does the red onion suit best?
Raw: in salads, dishes and garnish, where colour counts. It also works in packing plants for the retail shelf and for peeling.
How long can red onions be stored?
A healthy, well-skinned and properly dried onion withstands long storage. We keep it in our own store and release it outside the harvest peak too.
In what forms do you supply red onions?
Loose, big bag, 15 kg and 10 kg sacks and smaller. We match the size and packaging to the specific buyer.
Can I get a sample?
Yes. We send a free sample so the buyer can check the colour, size and skin quality themselves.
Looking for red onions in repeatable quality? Get in touch through our contact page or see the red onion offer. See also how we grow our onions.
