Angus Soft Fruits, a top supplier of fresh berries to retailers across the UK, recently revealed its two “new works of art” – the AVA Monet and AVA Dali raspberry varieties at an event on its East Seaton farm.
The AVA Monet and AVA Dali took many years to trial and develop, but Angus believes they have raised the bar in terms of quality, taste, appearance and extended shelf life.
They are in fact so beautiful that Angus company leaders decided to celebrate the launch by commissioning Prudence from Food is Art to craft paintings from them. She deftly used the raspberries to create her own versions of Claude Monet’s “Houses of Parliament” and Salvador Dali’s “Persistence of Memory”. She not only kept some of the berries intact but blended them into coulis and jams to create movement and backgrounds.
Angus officials held a press conference on the farm to discuss and showcase the varieties. Scottish Minister of Agriculture Jim Fairlie was on hand to speak and view the tunnels, along with Angus Chairman Lochy Porter, Breeding Programme Director Lucy Wilkins and Managing Director John Gray, Managing Director.
Wilkins has been integral in helping see Angus’ products to fruition, leading its team of “specialists”. Using the tunnel system and glasshouse growing, she and Angus strive to produce berries that are sustainable, bold in flavor and resistant to disease. They work with “like-minded” growers across the world to carry that mission through. In Scotland, they have eight facilities to pack and distribute their fruits.
Angus, which has been in business for two decades, will be exhibiting at Fruit Logistica in early September and discussing all of its products, including the two new varieties. They have also been nominated for two FPC Fresh Awards for Best Marketing Campaign and Sustainability Excellence.
