Bionade planning factory in Iowa

Bavarian natural soft drink manufacturer Bionade is planning to open a factory in Iowa within the next two years, after bringing their products to the United States for the first time this month.

Published: 28 August 2008 11:20 CEST

Photo: DPA

The organic carbonated beverage is the third most-purchased soft drink in Germany. The company plans to produce some 250 million bottles of their elderberry, litchi, orange-ginger, and herb-flavored drinks this year, up from 70 million in 2006. The family brewery, Peter-Bräu, has already expanded sales to England, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, and now plans to take the US market by storm.

The Ostheim-based brewing company chose San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles as test markets for the product, Peter-Bräu head Peter Kowalsky told news agency DPA.

Only in Germany: McDonald's begins offering 'Spargel Burger'

A basket of Spargel in Kutzleben, Thuringia marked the start of this year's season on April 14th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Martin Schutt

How do you know that you’re definitely in Germany? One sure fire way: when you check the menu of a McDonald’s in the springtime and see a ‘Spargel Burger’.

Germans are so enamored by the ‘white gold’ – special light-coloured asparagus which is much thicker than its North American green counterpart – that it’s now a featured fast food at McDonald’s Germany, and with classic Hollandaise sauce and bacon to boot.

On Thursday, the popular American fast-food chain restaurant – which counts nearly 1,500 outlets in Germany – published a photo of the “Big Spargel Hollandaise” saying that it would be available at select restaurants. They assured customers: “Yes, it’s really there.”

But its release was met with mixed reactions. “We absolutely have to go to McDonald’s sometime,” wrote one. Yet another called the unconventional creation “perverse.”

Another commenter showed skepticism: “Hollandaise sauce on a burger? Does that even taste good?”

Others weighed in on social media to point out that the product is a sign of Germany’s fascination with the vegetable.

I have never known a country to be so obsessed with Spargel (asparagus). I respect Germany’s dedication. https://t.co/WUQYblFeXT

— Rachel Loxton (@RachLoxton) May 7, 2021

The burger is the latest to join the asparagus craze, with a phallic-shaped Spargel monument in Torgau, Saxony capturing the public attention – or bewilderment – earlier in the week.

Germany… this Spargel obsession has gone too far.https://t.co/cif21ql00h

— Hilda 金 Hoy (@hildahoy) May 4, 2021

An annual tradition

Every year, Germany typically celebrates ‘Spargelzeit’ (asparagus season) from the middle of April until June 24th, which many dub ‘Spargelsilvester’ (Asparagus-New Year’s Eve).

The beloved vegetable, harvested heavily around the country, usually has its own special menu devoted to it at restaurants, and is sold in supermarkets – or road-side stands – next to jars of the classic Hollandaise sauce.

The top states which grow the crop are Lower Saxony, Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, but Beeliz, Brandenburg is also synonymous with Spargel in Germany.

In normal years the tiny town hosts a sprawling festival to mark the start of the season, anointing a Spargel king and queen.

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