Strawberry grower Peter Wensak had to travel through snow and rain from Norfolk to bring the first English fruit to London on March 12: two weeks earlier than last year.
Wensak explained that it was a combination of early planting and new techniques, and believes that it is possible to ripen Lambada under glass even earlier on sites within his 23 acres of nurseries in Norfolk and west Essex which have high light levels.
The recipient of this season's newest fruit was Sainsbury's Pimlico store, with volume rising this week to meet the needs of some 50 more store's in the chain, according to Scott Woolford category manger for Redbridge AFI.
There will then be a rapid build up to full distribution which will continue until the third week of April. Wensak will then pick a further crop in July when Elsanta comes to a close.
Craig Sibett, Sainsbury's soft fruit buyer revealed that fruit will go on sale under itsTaste the Difference brand priced at £2.99 for a 200g punnet.
"We are delighted to be the first supermarket to receive English fruit," he says. "It really means something for our customers because of the superior taste and aroma."
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