Maker · Vegetables
Kramer, sauerkraut from North Holland
Nine out of ten jars of sauerkraut in the Netherlands come from one barn in South-Scharwoude. Kramer has been fermenting on the same spot since 1890, with white cabbage from the vegetable gardens nearby and the lactic acid bacteria already on the leaves. Volume and craftsmanship go hand in hand here.
The story
Who's behind it
In 1890 Gert Kramer began preserving white cabbage in a shed behind his house in South-Scharwoude, because deliveries from others came too late. From that shed grew the largest sauerkraut producer in the Netherlands. An estimated 90 per cent of the sauerkraut that appears on Dutch tables comes from this facility. The business still sits on the same spot on Voorburggracht and is now in its fifth generation.
The location is no accident. The Langedijk and the northern tip of North Holland have been the nation's cabbage-growing region for over a century, the cabbage larder of Europe. Kramer sources white cabbage from their own fields and from growers in the immediate area. On a peak day approximately 100 tonnes of cabbage move through the facility. A single head weighs readily around 8 kilos.
What makes it different
Sauerkraut is one of the oldest ferments there is, and Kramer keeps the process deliberately simple. The cabbage is cleaned, sliced and salted, and then nature does the work. The lactic acid bacteria that occur naturally on the leaves slowly convert the sugars into lactic acid. No starter, no vinegar. In the sealed tuns the first fermentation takes about three weeks, layer by layer the flavour builds.
The yield is straightforward: two kilos of white cabbage yield one kilo of sauerkraut. A hectare produces around 100,000 kilos of cabbage. Much of the sauerkraut remains unpasteurised so the living cultures are preserved. Kramer has been packing in small bags since 1963. Beyond the plain version there's also a wine-braised sauerkraut, and for the kitchen a raw pail you finish yourself.
How to stand out with this
Sauerkraut is too often a side dish out of habit. With a raw 10-kilo base you take charge: you decide how far you braise it, with what wine, what fat and what spice, and how much tang you retain. That's the difference between a filler and a dish.
The living, unpasteurised sauerkraut also gives you a fresh, raw garnish with real acidity, strong alongside game, smoked fish and vegetable mains. Regional sourcing and a name from 1890 speak for themselves on the menu.
Chef’s tip
Take raw sauerkraut from the 10-kilo pail as your base and braise it yourself: with white wine, fat and juniper berries you control the flavour and acidity precisely to suit your dish. Keep the plain 500-gram version separate for raw garnish, where you want the crunch and living tang.
How to use it
Ideas for your menu
Sauerkraut with wine for game
Raw sauerkraut braised slowly in white wine and fat, as the classic pairing for pheasant, venison or duck.
Raw sauerkraut as bright garnish
Plain sauerkraut unadorned through a salad or over smoked fish, for tang and bite without vinegar.
Sauerkraut with a vegetable main
The clean acidity as contrast against roasted root vegetables, beans or grains.
Quick sauerkraut dish with sausage
Braised sauerkraut with a sturdy smoked sausage or belly, straight from the pail to temperature.
For your menu
“Sauerkraut from Kramer, naturally fermented in South-Scharwoude (North Holland), from regional white cabbage.”
Products from Kramer
What we carry from this maker
Sauerkraut plain, 500 grams
Naturally fermented, handy pack for raw use and portion work.
Sauerkraut raw, 10-kilo pail
Unbraised base for the kitchen, finish to taste and dish as you like.
Sauerkraut wine, 500 grams
Braised with wine, ready to use as a classic garnish.
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