The debate surrounding the quality of Discovery, the first apple of the English top fruit season, continues to rage.
According to a poll on freshinfo, 48 per cent of respondents think the apple is not a worthy first example of the English crop, compared with 28 per cent who do. A further 25 per cent remained unsure.
The debate was sparked by the comments made by Tesco apple and pear buyer Martin de la Fuente to the Journal last week. He questioned the logic of launching the season with “the worst apple there is”.
Andy Sadler, md of Tesco supplier Norman Collett, defended the apple but admitted: “Discovery is not the best apple in the world.” He said a search was underway for a suitable replacement but until then his business would stick with Discovery.
The issue appears to have divided the top-fruit sector with support both for and against Discovery on freshinfo. One reader said: “Discovery is a disaster - mostly retailed too early and tasting like cork, and only at its best (which isn't great) once it's worth nothing.” Freshinfo pollster Ian Rainford said: “It should never have been developed, it has no flavour, and is always marketed too early and too late.”
But Discovery has some support. Another reader told freshinfo: “When Discovery is well grown on a good site, picked at the correct stage, with good colour it is a flavourful, sweet and juicy first early, and better than the competition.”
Jane Wickham added to the freshinfo debate: “Like many English apples, Discovery has poor shelf life, but when picked and eaten soon afterwards it tastes good.”
Despite this, Steve Maxwell, marketing director at Worldwide Fruit, said he is pushing growers to grub up Discovery trees. “We’re encouraging growers to replace it with more consumer friendly varieties. We’d like to start the season with something better, that has better on-shelf performance.” He recognised the fact the apple is significant historically, but said WWF is not pushing growers to carry on planting: “We don’t see it having much of a future,” he added.
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