The pilot study compared the Central and Western European landraces Birnenförmige, Bolstar, Erfurter Lager, Jaune des Cévennes, Paille des Vertus, Rijnsburger 4, Stunova, Sturon, Wiener Bronzekugel and Zittauer Gelbe. Under organic farming conditions, yields between 13-32 t/ha were achieved. The highest yield was achieved by the French variety Jaune des Cévennes, which had a particularly mild and sweet taste and formed very large bulbs. However, this variety showed increasing microbial spoilage after only two months of storage, whereas all other varieties were storable for more than five months at 2°C. The metabolomic analysis showed that the variety had a very mild and sweet flavour and formed very large bulbs. The metabolome analysis showed that the varieties in the fresh state (i.e. after curing of the bulbs) could be classified into three groups of three on the basis of their metabolite profiles. While the contents of organic acids were approximately the same in all varieties, the different contents of amino acids and sugars, also especially of fructans, contributed to the discrimination of the varieties. The Jaune des Cévennes’ susceptibility to spoilage was probably due to a high content of simple sugars and a low content of fructans; these conditions allowed rapid colonisation of the bulbs by spoilage microorganisms. During cold storage, the composition of the bulbs of all varieties changed significantly. For example, a degradation of fructans and citric acid was accompanied by a strong accumulation of glutamine and many other amino acids as well as xylose, fructose and trehalose.