Asparagus growers and packers met at The Farmers’ Club in Whitehall last week to hear Pam Lloyd Associates and Pendle PR report on this year’s national campaign.

The Al Fresco Living campaign for British asparagus has generated more than £800,000 worth of consumer print coverage, with a combined circulation of more than 37 million, the sector was told.

Editorial coverage featured in The Times, The Guardian and The Independent, as well as consumer magazines Hello! and Woman’s Weekly.

Bundles of asparagus with recipe suggestions were distributed to key national and regional broadcasters and won mentions on Chris Evans’ driving show for BBC Radio 2 and on Radio 5 Live.

A revamped website dedicated to the British asparagus season was launched as part of the consumer awareness drive. A 14 per cent increase in site traffic was recorded in the first half of 2007, compared to the same period last year

The campaign, now in its fifth year, was jointly funded by Kitchen Garden Produce, Mack Multiples, Bomfords, Barfoots of Botley, Exotic Farm Produce, Flamingo, Utopia and Wealmoor, with support from the British Asparagus Growers’ Association.

The sales impact for the 12 weeks to June 17 saw a 16 per cent increase in consumers buying asparagus. Penetration of asparagus into UK households increased by two per cent, compared to the same period last year, and the market value increased by 19.3 per cent year on year.

The asparagus season started a full week earlier than last year but, according to growers, the overall yield was the same following bad weather at the end of May and in June.

The sector was concerned that the price of asparagus had not moved on this year.

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