From the woods to the living room
It matters where the Christmas tree has grown up. The Danish Nordmann firs sell like hot cakes, and this year alone Danish exporters will be sending ten million trees to France, Switzerland, Germany and other countries. Denmark is the world’s leading exporter of Christmas trees due to its special coastal climate with limited
temperature variation.
A tree is not just a tree
Unlike piecegoods, trees are unique and widely varied. Fortunately so, because each country has its own idea of a proper Christmas tree. In Norway, for instance, the trees must be open, while the French prefer them to be tall and thick.
Therefore, the optimal solution is to take the customer for a walk in the woods before he buys his trees. “Each customer has a different perception of quality"
"So it’s a clear advantage for the customer to physically inspect the trees. This allows him to approve the marking-out and to point out trees of the exact quality that suits his market,” says Claus Nielsen, Category Manager GASA GROUP.
Do you know that.....
- The customer selects the trees in August based on where in Europe they will be sold.
- Nordmann firs make up 95 percent of GASA’s sales. The last five percent are common spruce.
- Each lorry has a capacity of approx. 1,000 trees.
- After felling, the firs are left for at least three days before being transported. This reduces the risk of losing needles.
- Firs require half a litre of water a day to stay fresh after felling.
- Every year, Denmark presents the city of Berlin with a giant fir of 28-30 metres.
- The tree height is measured from the saw kerf to the middle of the top shoot.