Andrew Thornton

Andrew Thornton

Budgens’ English apple season has started early with its first delivery of English apples hitting stores on 25 July.

Apples were delivered direct from Kent-based grower Newmafruit to Andrew Thornton’s Budgens store in Crouch End.

To celebrate, Thornton, who was lauded for his Play Fair, Trade Fair banana scheme in 2009, offered tastings of the freshly picked fruit to customers.

This year’s English apple crop, as widely reported across the mainstream media including Sky News and BBC television, is the earliest on record.

Willie Hamilton, Budgens Trading Director, said: “This marks the start of the Budgens top fruit season. Budgens is a strong supporter of British farming and local producers and our commitment to British growers and producers guarantees top quality, fresh British fruit and vegetables for consumers.”

Tony Frankham of Newmafruit, who hand delivered the apples to Budgens added: “This provides a fantastic opportunity for Budgens to extend the British apple season and build on the great work of continuing to raise the profile of British product in store.”