Hardly a week goes by without major supermarket chains pushing the boundaries when it comes to enhancing the image of fruit and vegetables.
On the broadest level, Tesco is now stressing the increased freshness of its prepacked salad range. I quote: “By improving the preparation and mix of our bagged salads, protecting them better and bringing them quickly into our stores, we can now guarantee that our products will keep their freshness for longer.”
It is a worthy statement appearing on shelf barkers, though in my view somewhat short of the critical element of how much longer the produce will last. The generally accepted shelf life across the industry seems to about be four days - but I don’t think that any customers know this anyway.
Similar activity in the tomato market reflects the increasing range in store. At one end, under Tesco’s new Market Value range, Spanish-grown fruit is described simply as Round Tomatoes (four for 49p), while at Marks & Spencer there is a new tomato salad line, which highlights - I believe for the first time - the actual variety, Santini (£1.99 for 225g).
It also made me wonder if, in the process of talking up fresh produce, tried and trusted descriptions are also changing. In the same branch of M&S, there was a “new-style” Caesar Salad, with fresh peas and beans rather than cos lettuce, at £2.99 for 265g. The ingredients are broad beans (35 per cent), fine green beans (27 per cent), runners (18 per cent) and peas (14 per cent) - not forgetting parmesan and butter.
Back at Tesco, the kraft paper bags used to present four apples over the last few months have now made a transition to citrus, under the Finest range, at £1.99. The fruit is sourced from South Africa and is the lesser known Guscora variety, which must be related to a Valencia, though I am still searching for more details.
Reversing the saying “something old, something new”, it is a good time to catch up on some of the miniscule volumes of traditional English apple varieties briefly on sale and much beloved by foodie journalists.
Waitrose has come up with Rosemary Russet in its Vintage selection, described as “extremely rare” - first appearing in 1831, not far from the site of the old Brentford market. Today’s descendants, for £1.99, are grown by Clive Baxter, though the till receipt refers to Brogdale apples. Not to be outdone, Tesco has Chivers Delight under a Class II label, at £1.49, as part of its Heritage range.
But today, when it comes to varieties, the choice extends ever more and now encompasses papaya or is it pawpaw - perhaps there will be a move towards standardisation. I have already come across the Formosa type this year, and now M&S has the Golden Frangi on display at £1.69. The source is interesting too, the fruit is from Malaysia.
And finally, with the winter stonefruit season already underway, there is a new dimension from Sainsbury’s. While ready-to-eat information is part and parcel of retailing, it now has a category labelled ‘variety best eaten firm’ - in this instance, Summer Flare yellow-flesh nectarines from the US.
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