More than 70 million strawberries will be hitting Asda supermarkets this summer, thanks to Arbroath based D. Geddes Farms in Scotland.
The grower, led by Frank Geddes and family, has been supplying the retail chain with strawberries from the North Sea coast for more than a decade, including its Just Essentials and Grower Selection brands. This season’s robust crop includes the first glimpse of Extra Special Scottish strawberries.
“We are delighted to grow Extra Special Scottish Strawberries for Asda! It is a real testament to the quality of our produce that we now supply five different strawberry products to all Asda stores in Scotland and the North of England,” D. Geddes Farms Soft Fruit Manager, Sergei Kaminski said. “We’re predicting a bumper year.”
The season from mid-May to mid-October will be one of the best in recent memory, buoyed by the cool nights and long sunlight hours that are typical of the region. Kaminski has shared another secret as to how D. Geddes is getting the most out of its plantings.
“The strawberries on our farm are planted directly into the soil and we don’t rely on growing substances or compost bags,” he said. “I’ve been involved in growing strawberries for over 20 years, and I believe that strawberries growing in soil have a lot more flavour than strawberries growing in a compost bag. We are also committed to improving our sustainability and move towards producing fully recyclable punnets this year.”
Two years ago, the farm won Asda’s Sustain and Save Exchange Award for “exemplary achievements in wildlife-friendly farming.”
“It is fantastic to continue our partnership with D. Geddes Farms, which has been so successful over the last 14 years,” Ashley Connolly, Local Buying Manager for Scotland, said. “It is clear our customers love strawberries and we delighted to bring a range of quality locally sourced options to our shelves – all 70 million of them.”
