Asda, Stewarts prep for Wimbledon by serving up millions of strawberries
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. […]
Co-op makes bold bet on UK farmers, growers by going all in on British Strawberries
Co-op has become the first of the British supermarket chains to go to 100% British Strawberries in its own brand range from now through the summer. The convenience retailer said it wanted to get the word out on the commitment in time for St. George’s Day and as strawberries hit the shelves earlier than expected. […]
First batch of strawberries make it through the rain, head for Tesco’s produce aisles
The first wave of commercial strawberries have finally found their way to retailer Tesco, after a long rainy start to the year in the UK. Rising temperatures and increasing sun have lifted the doldrums on Britain staple spring and early summer fruit. And it won’t be long before they get their due at the signature […]
Advocacy group asks UK government to ban ‘forever’ pesticides from use on fruits and veg
A new report released by a charity focused on ensuring safe and sustainable growing shows “worrying” levels of pesticides in fresh fruits and vegetables in the UK. The Pesticide Action Network UK says 10 ‘forever’ pesticides can be found in everything from peaches to cabbage to apricots. The biggest offender they say is strawberries, “with […]
Angus Soft Fruits leader talks innovation and challenges in berry sector
In this interview done with Fresh Fruit Portal during Fruit Logistica, Sarah Ilyas spoke with Jill Witheyman, Head of Marketing at Angus Soft Fruits. What is Angus Soft Fruits all about? We are a Scottish company based on the northeast coast of Scotland, celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. Angus Soft Fruits is a family […]
UK consumers could be forced to sacrifice British Grown quality if soft fruit industry doesn’t get help
Just when the industry was looking to recover from the pandemic, we’ve been plunged into an even greater state of crisis triggered by a number of factors. Increased production costs linked to soaring energy tariffs and the rate of inflation peaking at 11.1% in October 2022 (a figure that is even higher in agriculture, anything […]
Which UK supermarket earned British Growers crown for biggest growth in berry sales?
To be named Retailer of the Year by the assocation whose members supply nearly all of the berries in UK supermarkets is no small feat. Given the displays seen at some top retailers, the choice in 2023 by British Berry Growers might be surprising. But it is certainly warranted given the tremendous strides they’ve made […]
Scotland supplier set to serve up 70 million strawberries to Asda supermarkets
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. […]