Kent top-fruit growers put in an appearance at Sainsbury’s in Tunbridge Wells on Friday to launch its English apple and pear season.
The event saw one of the largest apple sampling events of the year get underway in store, with slices of Cox apples and Concorde pears offered to shoppers, along with recipe cards, to raise awareness about the arrival of the English top fruit and boost sales.
Half of apples sold at Sainsbury’s at the beginning of October will be grown in England.
Kent apples were clearly labelled among the English offer, with growers pictured on barkers, among a flurry of Union Jacks.
Sainsbury’s apple buyer Neil Gibson said: “Our customers love buying home-grown varieties and, over the past few years, we have sold more English apples than any other retailer during the seasonal peak. This year, we aim to hold the number-one position, giving our customers the opportunity to enjoy even more English apples.
“We are really getting behind the English thing, and it has become a real event in store.”
A series of TV adverts in which Jamie Oliver promotes Taste the Difference Concorde pears will support the launch, and create a “halo effect” around the pear sub-category, Gibson said.
Promotional offers included buy-one-get-one-free Cox and Bramley, at £1.89, and two Conference and red dessert apples for £2.
Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apples & Pears, said: “Sainsbury’s is an excellent example of how to work the English apple and pear season, and its performance is tremendous. The reception of the English offer has been enormous, and the displays are stunning, set off by the Union Jack tray liners and flags.
“Our message to consumers is to look for the Union Jack flags.”
Grower Paul Mansfield at Mansfield Farms told FPJ that he has grown his biggest-ever crop of apples, following good spring conditions and the boost from new varieties coming on stream. “English apples have two points of difference in comparison to imported fruit - the fruit is harder, with higher sugar levels, because of the UK climate,” he said.
Rupert Meikle, commercial manager for top fruit at Chingford Fruit, said Sainsbury’s works closely with its supplier base, communicating on a weekly basis to plan the season effectively.
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