Hazelnuts from Ünye - hard shell with a delicious core

Botanically the hazelnut belongs to the family of the birch trees (Betulaceae). The deciduous hazelnut bush can reach heights up to 5 meters. For thousands of years, the hazelnut bush has been treasured for its nuts that are rich in oil and proteins.

Our aromatic Levantine hazelnuts are produced by Rapunzel contract farmers at the Black Sea Coast. The fruit mature between the months of August and September and are rich in proteins, B-vitamins and vitamin E as well as minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphor and iron.

In an area of more than 600 hectares the harvest for the 70 project farmers begins in mid-August. On steep slopes, the nuts are shaken off the bushes and are picked up by hand. Under normal circumstances, the hazelnuts are then dried in the sun for 5-7 days and the green shell is removed.

However, in order to keep the fruit fresh as long as possible, the nuts are only cracked shortly before their transport to Germany.

As is also the case in the other Rapunzel projects, regular meetings between the farmers and the Rapunzel agricultural engineers also take place in Ünye. During these meetings various farming topics are discussed, solutions for problems are found and the social network is fostered.