It is distinctive for its long dark leaves and is a close cousin of kale, which is currently at a peak of popularity in Britain.
Now Lincolnshire farmers who grow cavolo nero want to drop its Italian name and rebrand it as black kale to help its ascent and end what they describe as confusion among shoppers.
In a recent survey, only 20% of shoppers knew cavolo nero was a vegetable.
It was originally grown in southern Italy, but Lincolnshire farmers have been successfully growing the crop for several years. More than half of the consumers surveyed (60%) had no idea what cavolo nero was, with nearly half saying it was “something Italian” and 15% saying it sounded “posh”. A few thought it might be a kind of pasta or even a cheese.
Alex Boughton, of Discover Kale, the growers’ group which commissioned the research, said the Italian name sent out “the wrong message to customers who are confused as to what exactly cavolo nero is and are perhaps failing to appreciate it is now grown in the UK”.
Cavolo nero originates from the fields of Tuscany where it is believed to have been first grown in 600BC. It has a distinctively rich and slightly sweet flavour.
At Waitrose, sales of kale are up by 53% year-on-year, while cavolo nero sales have more than quadrupled. The supermarket chain said the vegetable had been an underground favourite for years and has been championed by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and food blogger Deliciously Ella.
Last year Marks & Spencer trebled the number of kale products on its shelves and launched two varieties of kale crisps.
It would not be the first time a foodstuff has undergone a name change in order to broaden its appeal. The humble pilchard was renamed Cornish sardine before being formally recognised under the EU protected food names scheme.
Sainsbury’s rebranded the white fish pollack with a French name, Colin, after British shoppers said they were too embarrassed to ask for pollack by name.
