Family Salens

The Salens family has been growing root chicory for four generations. They have no employees — only family members work on the farm. “My son has a permanent job with shift work but helps out on the farm whenever he can, and I also get help from my daughter,” says Luc.

One of Luc Salens’ biggest challenges is the prolonged heat and drought. These weather conditions create uncertainty around the root yield. “I’ve been doing this for so many years, but this year is shaping up to be especially challenging,” Luc explains.

Luc also shares a storage tip for chicory: “The best way to store chicory is in the dark to prevent it from turning green.” He says this is often the problem with chicory’s shelf life in supermarkets, where it’s usually kept under lights.