Shoppers at The Co-operative in Cornwall were amongst the first in the country to pick up new-season Cornish potatoes from their local stores.
The Co-op is claiming to be the first supermarket to stock the new crop this year.
The potatoes will be delivered direct from the field to five stores, in Wadebridge, Penzance, Wherrytown, Falmouth and Hayle, with some traveling less than six miles to the nearest store.
By early May, the offer will rolled out to The Co-op stores across the county.
The Co-operative Farms, the farming arm of The Co-operative Group, has worked with local growers to set up the direct deliveries.
Grower Alan Mitchell at Tom Mitchell & Sons will be supplying some of the Cornish potatoes. He said: “Our first of the season new potatoes are grown in an area known as the Golden Mile - a tiny pocket of land overlooking the bay in west Cornwall, which catches the sun. Cornwall - and, in particular, the Penwith region of the county has always been particularly early land due to the influence of the Gulf Stream and the mild climate.”
Neil Moorcroft, category buyer for potatoes at The Co-operative Group, added: “We work closely with our suppliers and growers to ensure we provide high-quality, locally grown seasonal produce. We are delighted that this has resulted in being able to offer our customers the first Cornish new potatoes of the year.”
The first potatoes on sale will be early variety Rocket, before different varieties are chosen, depending on when they are at their peak quality.
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