The power of social media and TikTok in particular are helping to bring into vogue vegetables that were popular in the past.
Take swedes, once a staple as a side dish on plates 50 years ago. As convenience and high-paced lifecycles have made quicker time prep a must have, swedes all but disappeared except for festive periods. They just took to long to make.
But thanks to the proliferation of short videos and the willingness of younger generations to try anything to make cooking simpler, swedes are making a comeback. So are others.
Influencers ditched the boil-and-wait process and just tossed swedes tossed into the microwave. They cut them open, put some butter and pepper on them and the result was surprisingly good, like a jacket potato.
Because of that, Tesco says they have seen sales spikes almost 25%. Last year in fact, the supermarket put it on its Festival 5 discounted vegetables for Christmas and Easter.
“More customers have been discovering the great value and health benefits of the humble swede this year, and tips to make them easy and convenient to prepare have helped to boost sales,” says Lucy Moss, Tesco buying manager for fresh produce. “We championed the swede at Christmas and also at Easter and found that sales have continued to rise once shoppers have realised how well they work as part of a roast dinner or as a healthy substitute for potatoes.”
Huge value and benefits
Moss’ mention of value with swedes should not be overlooked by retailers. Cost-conscious consumers are looking for bargains in produce, and at 63p apiece, they can’t be beaten. Promote that price with all the benefits and ease of prep in produce aisles, and it’s no wonder Tesco has seen that spike.
“Swedes really tick a lot of boxes in terms of being healthy and budget friendly, so it’s fantastic customers are discovering this and that Tesco sales have grown so much this year,” Lindsay Chree, sales manager for Stewarts of Tayside, said. “It’s great working with Tesco and we hope we continue this partnership and see growth like this for years to come.”
Stewart’s is one of the key Scottish suppliers of swedes to Tesco. Packed with vitamins such as C, B6 and B9, high in fibre and lower in carbohydrates, demand is continuing to rise and forcing the supermarket to increase its asks.
