With the summer solstice upon us and Wimbledon fast approaching, retailers have been preparing for shoppers to storm produce shelves looking for strawberries.
Asda says it is fully prepared thanks to its partnership with Scotland grower Stewarts of Tayside, which is delivering to the retailer a robust 5.3 million pieces of the plump fruit this year.
Liam Stewart and his family, the largest independent grower of strawberries in Scotland, has been the go-to source for the supermarket chain for more than two decades.
““It’s a pleasure to work with Asda to serve our strawberries to tennis fans during Wimbledon,” he said. “Our family has been growing strawberries in Perth for generations, and we are extremely proud of the quality of our produce. We have a 25-year working relationship with Asda and take so much pride in bringing the best available strawberries to its customers. Over the next 6 months, we will supply over 1,000 tonnes of strawberries to Asda stores across the UK over the Wimbledon fortnight.”
More than 240 stores will be stocked with Stewarts of Tayside strawberries this summer – a boon considering the less-than-ideal growing conditions.
“We’ve turned a corner with the weather, strawberry season is well on its way and we’re gearing up for an exceptional summer of sport and strawberries,” said Jake Halligan, Produce Buying Manager at Asda. “We have excellent soft berry producers in Scotland, and working with local growers like Stewarts of Tayside ensures that the strawberries reach stores at the peak of freshness, and just in time for the Wimbledon period when demand for the quintessential summer fruit soars.”
