The quality of English soft fruit is now so high it can compete with ease against its imported counterparts, believes Richard Brown, fruit buyer for Marks & Spencer.
“The level of sophistication and involvement by our chosen growers allows us to develop new varieties with great confidence,” he says.
As the summer season really begins to bite, with customers literally queuing up to make a purchase, Brown is full of praise for the efforts of the industry to create the quality levels for which M&S is justly proud.
Without doubt it has also been influenced by the expansion of the season creating a wider sales opportunity.
“English summer fruit is a very important part of our offer,” he says. “It fits perfectly with our reputation for selling quality products.”
Strawberries, still based on Elsanta, remain the core line, with glasshouse production adding an extra dimension in the spring and late autumn.
M&S are also keeping a constant watch on new products, from which they hope will come a selection of new potential winners.
One such example is Jubilee, being stocked in increasing quantities this season as production expands.
Brown hints there are others under trial, but stresses they will all have to pass strict criteria based on aroma, colour and shape. The guiding light however is that fruit must always be able to reach the necessary high levels of brix as it is harvested.
The same objective that has created the M&S preferred variety range also applies to raspberries and Tulameen is still regarded as the ultimate variety.
“Increasing interest in the crop has meant that we can build on the shoulders of a business which still has great potential, particularly at time when in mid summer there are good volumes of excellent quality available,” he adds.
And Brown is keen to include English blueberries on the list, citing varieties such as Misty, which is unobtainable except where M&S sources in Dorset. “We estimate we account for well over 90 per cent of sales of the whole English crop,” he says.
“Volumes may be small compared with imports but again, because of the quality, it differentiates us.
“The importance of providing specially selected fruit will remain the key particularly at times when soft-fruit growing in the UK is going through a boom period.”
While these extra volumes are being absorbed in the high street, he believes more and more effort will have to be taken to ensure that strawberries, in particular, do not fall into the commodity category.
“Our customers recognise that price and quality go together but still represent good value,” he says.
The message is supported this summer by M&S’s own promotional campaigns, highlighting the fruit on TV and in the media. And he also pays tribute to the industry as a whole: “We have seen the whole PR machine increasing awareness of berries, and there is no doubt that this has also stimulated consumption.”
One way that M&S has shown its commitment is through the headway made with packaging.
Apart from ensuring fruit is kept in a constant cool chain as it is inspected, it is the only multiple to adopt heat sealed punnets using a perforated film which continues to allow the fruit to breath.
Brown reveals that the strategy, adopted two years ago, has been successful in a number of areas. “It has enhanced the presentation, been easier to handle on the shelf, and reduced waste by being tamper proof.”
Looking to the future he does not discount the possibility that bio-degradable packaging will become a more significant aspect, while new films, which reduce cost, add shelf life and reduce waste, will evolve.
He also expects there to be a wider choice of how berries are sold. Special attributes such as the giant dipping strawberries, which have already appeared on the shelves, are a good example. “Mixed packs of berry fruit, and even soft fruit platters can offer further potential.
“The move to convenient, prepared fruit salads, where berries play an import role, can be expected to come into further prominence,” he adds.
He does not regard these as competitive, simply because there are so many occasions whereby fruit can be enjoyed.
There is no doubt that M&S has plenty of ideas which will ultimately be translated on to its soft fruit displays.
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