The latest available figures from English Apples & Pears (EAP) show a 19.4 per cent rise in sales of the core basket of English varieties to date this season. When some of the new, expanding varieties, and top performers like Egremont Russet are added into the equation with Cox, Gala, Braeburn, Bramley and Conference pears, the figures will look even more impressive at season’s end.

This has certainly been an outstanding sales season for domestic growers. Cox sales to February 16 sat at 24,000 tonnes, compared with 21,800t last year; Gala sales were 18,700t (15,300t) and Braeburn, which had around 60 per cent of volume still to pass through the system at that point, had already sold to the tune of 3,500t (2,300t). Bramley sales, as has been documented for months, are flying - still at around 15 per cent higher than a year ago. Rising stars such as Kanzi, Jazz and Cameo have all seen increases from a much smaller base, and add yet more potential for future growth.

The final figures for both Cox and Braeburn are higher than initially forecast, because frosts failed to take their expected toll, and gradeouts were a little better than predicted. Gala has sold well at what one insider describes as a “reasonable price for growers”.

Adrian Barlow, chief executive of EAP, says the support of the multiples has been key to this season’s expansion and has built confidence in the future of the domestic industry. According to figures compiled by EAP, Morrisons, which has come in for criticism for its English stance in the past, has been a stellar performer, rising its share of sales from 8.4 per cent to 13.2 per cent, to February 16. “That really is a fantastic performance,” says Barlow. “It is the turnaround story of this year. I know Morrisons is delighted with what it has achieved, and is already talking to suppliers about next season.”

Asda has also taken some flak in the past, but has seen its share jump to 9.5 per cent this season; a small step maybe in the context of its Yorkshire neighbour, but a step forward nevertheless.

Elsewhere, Tesco has a 31.4 per cent slice of sales, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose significantly outperform their overall market position with 24.3 per cent and 7.8 per cent respectively, and Co-op (6.3 per cent). Marks & Spencer (3.6 per cent) and Somerfield (four per cent) have all turned in respectable showings.

“It cannot be taken for granted that Tesco, as the largest player, will sell that type of proportion of the crop,” says Barlow. “It still takes some doing and they, along with the other traditionally heavy supporters Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, have continued to show tremendous support.”

Huge promotional efforts saw the English season kick-started in style in October, and the market held up on the back of that through to the start of this quarter. One supplier says the second part of the season could be given added impetus if the beginning of the Braeburn season were used as an opportunity to signal the continued presence of large English volumes in store.

Barlow believes that very much depends on there being an identifiable differentiation factor between English and imported Braeburn at key times. “What I would say though is that there is still a tremendous opportunity out there for English fruit,” says Barlow. “And after all the difficulties of the last 30 years, the industry is moving in the right direction. There are a lot of good growers around, investing in their futures, and using their knowledge and skill to produce very effectively. And perhaps most importantly, they are extremely shrewd businessmen, who know that the only way to move forward is to improve their product every year.”

With considerable new plantings going in the ground, another insider reckons that we are not far away from the year when English fruit can virtually keep imported Gala and Braeburn off the UK shelves for as long as four months, should the supermarkets choose to take that route.

This is not ideal news for French growers, who have seen their UK share diminish in recent years, and says one importer, “the French appear to be sitting on quite a lot of stock at the moment, and this market is not taking what it used to from there. On principle the fruit should go to the highest paying market, for at least an average to good price, and a lot of people are looking at Russia as the best option.

“But this is not just a short-term business, and many French growers recognise the need to stick with the UK, and that it would be crazy to put all their eggs in one basket in eastern Europe. The profile of English fruit has changed the marketplace, as it is not necessarily a case of the best fruit for the best customers any more. Quality-wise, sometimes English fruit struggles against imported, but it sells because it’s English”.

Another says: “Every English grower is bullish beyond belief; it looks a safe one at the moment for them. But it has been an average quality year, this year. The questions around retailers’ commitment to the domestic grower will come when they have a poor quality year.”

The first southern-hemisphere fruit is starting to dribble in, and availability is not looking too scary for the UK market. All major sources appear to have a decent volume of the smaller fruit preferred by UK customers, particularly at this stage South Africa, which has “plenty of fruit in the 84s, 88s and 100s,” according to a supplier. He adds, however: “The local market in South Africa has been exceptional lately and has grown by six to seven per cent year on year, so the dependence on exports will reduce slightly. The key to supplying the UK is that they have to accept a very tight price band, and accept that there is absolutely no room for speculation.”

The first Royal Gala shipments are on the water, and due in the UK in a couple of weeks, and the Golden and Granny crops are looking like providing decent quality, and will certainly meet demand in the UK, which has remained fairly static in recent seasons. The use of Smartfresh is giving growers the opportunity to hold onto fruit longer, says one supplier, which allows them to extend their Gala window in particular into late July, early August, to dovetail nicely with the start of new-season French apples in the northern hemisphere.

Barlow says the shoulders of the southern- and northern- hemisphere seasons are becoming more entrenched in UK buyers’ minds. “Despite this huge surge in demand for English product, the consumer will dictate that selling fresh product remains a priority for supermarkets,” he explains. “It is very important that English growers do not get carried away and start producing volumes that their customers cannot sell, and for that reason it is essential that growers continue to talk to their marketing organisations and customers before making investment decisions.”

Like speculative marketing, he says, speculative planting has no place in the modern apple industry, if growers are to establish a sustainable pattern to their seasons.

CONFERENCE BALL FOR GROWERS

Waitrose and its top-fruit category supplier Fruition jointly hosted the retailer’s first global grower group meeting for the apple and pear category in Berlin last month, bringing together the regional grower groups from as far afield as China, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Italy, France and Kent. The event proved a very useful exercise for all parties, writes Worldwide Fruit managing director Robert Balicki.

Held on the Wednesday before Fruit Logistica opened its doors, we felt Berlin would be the ideal location for the first event of this kind, as it gave us the best opportunity to bring as many of our growers from around the globe together in one place. The aim was to continue to strengthen the relationship between Waitrose and its growers and encourage further interaction between them, and to develop links between the growers themselves, and we had representatives from all of the major global sources of apples.

The first part of the day was a half-day conference, which allowed Waitrose to update everyone on its trading performance and the potential it sees going forward; as well as focusing growers on where Waitrose wants to go, how it wants to get there, and what the grower and supplier role is in achieving those objectives.

Top-fruit buyer Tom Richardson provided category-specific insight into Waitrose’s performance in the top-fruit category in the UK marketplace, as well as how top fruit performs within Waitrose, when compared with other produce categories. On both counts, the category has produced good results in the last 12 months with Ambrosia (BC), Jazz and Fuji taking centre stage on growth.

Professor David Hughes gave a presentation, which, particularly for international growers, offered an interesting synopsis of the UK retail marketplace and how Waitrose fits into that. And representatives of the global and European Pink Lady marketing alliances updated growers on their plans for the variety, which as a premium apple plays a very important part in the Waitrose portfolio.

Bill Davies of Lancaster University talked about the restrictions that water resources could put on the growing of temperate produce in the future, and how growers can better understand the physiology of plants to help them grow in those circumstances. And Brett Innes of New Zealand breeder Prevar outlined new and exciting varieties in the pipeline, and the company’s work with the global supply chain to bring them through to the UK retailers.

Dr Drew Reynolds and Claire Donovan, both of Worldwide Fruit, also provided some insight into work being carried out to produce a residue-free apple and the global implementation of the LEAF programme respectively.

I think the key messages that came out of the day were that the grower base was pleased to see the potential of Waitrose over the next five years, and enthused about the opportunities to supply them. It is always very useful to get together with the rest of the supply chain to discuss common issues; and for growers especially, how they can work in the future to increase returns.

For its part, Waitrose took the opportunity to address its grower base directly, to explain its philosophies and to put across its ideas on initiatives such as the Waitrose Foundation and LEAF.

There were four Waitrose representatives at the conference and a number four more at the dinner we held in the evening, and they were all keen to stress the long-term vision that they wish to work on a partnership basis to deliver the best product to the consumer.

It was sensible to hold the first event in Berlin, but I hope the usefulness of that event has laid the groundwork for future events, on grower farms around the world, to be equally well attended.

Topics