You can have all the PR in the world, but when it comes down to it, even the most intriguing colours and unusual shapes can’t prevent the winners in the fruit and veg race being those that taste best.
As a result it will be interesting to plot the path of a potato on Marks & Spencer’s shelves called Athlete, grown in Suffolk and sold for £1.99/kg. Described as a “true Plan A potato” as it uses fewer resources and is therefore more sustainable, the crucial message is that taste panels have given it full marks. It is now being heralded by the retailer as surpassing Maris Piper.
Meanwhile there is increasing competition with Sainsbury’s adding Apache, a mottled brown and pinking white tuber, but at twice the price.
Such names do arouse interest and at the same store there is a Best of Italian tomato pre-pack of red and yellow Santa (65 per cent and 35 per cent respectively) at £2 for 250g, enhanced by the fact that the contents are “Ripened under the Sicilian sun”.
The berry fruit range is also becoming more selective in a public sense. Waitrose is now identifying speciality raspberries, such as the Driscoll Maravilla, being grown in South Africa at this time of year and on offer at £2.59 for 150g.
While berries are strictly seasonal, the same cannot be said for carrots at a time when UK production is bulging over the shelves. Nevertheless Tesco is sourcing from South Africa from the same source in its Finest range with Baby Tendersweet at £2 for 150g.
It’s also the time of year when the main European apple providers still meet competition from lesser-known orchards. Austria is a case in point , and M&S is signalling up the arrival in its Limited Edition range with trademarked Opal at £2.29 for four.
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