Select Lincolnshire unveiled a new pink onion that has taken more than a decade to develop at the International Food & Drink Exhibition in London.
The pink vegetable, grown by Fraser Key in Sleaford, was developed through natural selection using both red and white onions, and is milder than traditional red onion varieties and thus more “widely palatable”.
Key told freshinfo: “It’s been a very long-term project for me, but I’m really pleased. [The pink onion] tastes more like a shallot as it is much milder than red onions.
“People ask me why I’m growing a much more expensive onion but really I’m aiming for it to be a cheaper version of the shallot to be used in casseroles and curries.”
Key grows a number of varieties of onions, shallots and garlic, and is part of Select Lincolnshire, an organisation set up in 2005 to showcase local produce in the area.
He said: “It’s a great brand to be a part of and I am really passionate about the development of onions and home-grown produce in Lincolnshire. We have a very short supply chain as all our production is on-site, which means it is very economical with a low carbon footprint. We are looking for a major retailer to stock the pink onion, as we think someone could really make a campaign from it.”
Key produced 200 tonnes of pink onions last year, with a target of 350t this year.
No comments yet