The fresh produce team at UK retailer Morrisons has been rewarded for its performance during the South African winter stonefruit season.
Jacques du Preez, produce manager for South African topfruit and stonefruit at industry body Hortgro Services, presented the award to Morrisons' stonefruit buyer Mark Booth on behalf of South African growers of plums, peaches and nectarines, in recognition of the retailer’s support and results in the stonefruit category.
Sales at the retailer this year grew by some 50 per cent in volume, and Morrisons equally stood as the only top four retailer in the UK to show volume growth on each of the three fruits.
Du Preez commented: “Since we began in 2009, the 'Beautiful country, beautiful fruit' campaign to promote South African fruit has been universally well received in the UK, with Morrisons one of the strongest performers.
'During the winter, we face the considerable challenge of encouraging shoppers here to try stonefruit and communicate to them that it eats as well at this time of the year as in the summer – if not better. Morrisons has shown exceptional support for the South African season, which has generated impressive results. We are looking forward to building on this success in the 2011/12 season ahead of us.”
