UK-based grocer The Co-operative says it is championing UK farming with a major in-store push, which will feature British growers on its fresh produce packaging.
A quartet of Co-operative Group farmers from around the UK – Lucy Mason (Kent), Russell Armstrong (Cambridgeshire), William Barnett (Herefordshire) and Jack Parsons (East Yorkshire) will be pictured on the packaging alongside other British growers who supply produce to almost 3,000 Co-operative food stores.
Replacing the 'Grown By Us' range, the new packaging features a large Union Jack flag as well as photographs and comments from the British farmers who grow the products.
It will be rolled out over the next 12 months in line with the local season for each crop.
As the UK's only supermarket to also run a major farming business, The Co-operative is clearly backing British growers and emphasising the quality and freshness of its fruit and vegetables in order to underscore that commitment to the production sector, not to mention the care it takes in bringing what it describes as 'the best British products' to its stores.
The Co-operative Farms, one of Britain’s largest farmers, which has farmed the land for more than 100 years, will play a key role in the rebrand of all its British primary produce packaging.
Christine Tacon is managing director of The Co-operative Farms, one of the country's largest farmers and the backbone of The Co-operative Group's fresh produce supply base.
She confirmed that the division would play a key role in the rebranding of all the group's primary produce packaging.
'The Co-operative has a long heritage in farming and we supply significant volumes of produce from our own farms to our food stores. Research told us that our customers trust British farmers to deliver great quality produce and they value our support of UK farming.
'This bold new packaging will highlight key British produce lines when they are available in store and demonstrate our continued commitment to British farming.
'It will also enable our customers to support these growers and also get the freshest and highest-quality products, when they are at their best – during the traditional British seasons.'
Coded response
The launch of the new packaging will feature promotional lines of Cox's apples, Conference pears, Maris Piper potatoes and onions, which are also grown on The Co-operative Farms' estates in Tillington in Herefordshire, Highland Court in Kent, Coldham in Cambridgeshire and Goole in East Yorkshire.
A new QR (quick response) code will also appear on packs of pears, potatoes, apples and onions, linking directly to a website with more details about the product, the growers and recipes.
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