The fresh produce business has received a timely boost after Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of the UK's most successful football club and the world's most valuable sports team, Manchester United, told BBC radio station Five Live his success was based in part on stamina levels sustained by maintaining a diet that included fresh vegetables.
Ferguson, who was speaking during a special hour-long interview about his life and career, was asked how he managed to continue in what is one of the most demanding roles in the football industry for a further decade after first considering retirement.
He replied: 'I think it's maybe a lot to do with the kind of food I ate as a young person. In our house we ate very little canned food, you know. There was always wholesome food and we always had fresh vegetables.
Ferguson added: 'The only tinned food I can remember was Heinz beans, whereas today everything's canned, everything's packaged.'
Manchester United run a number of football training centres for young, aspiring players worldwide, offering them advice on how best to improve their diets.
These tips include: incorporating steamed vegetables into main meals; cooking potatoes with carrot, sweetcorn, cabbage or peas; stir-frying vegetables; making and eating salads; and even adding extra vegetables to fast food such as pizzas.
