Supermarket supplier Mack has announced a major plan of investment in the UK soft-fruit, stonefruit and exotic fruit sectors as it looks to reinvigorate its reputation as a leading supplier of home-grown produce.
Mack this week confirmed its support for well-established Kent event Fruit Focus, which takes place this year on 20 July, with a three-year deal to become the principal sponsor of the strawberry, topfruit and viticulture exhibition.
The announcement was made at Essex-based Grower of the Year Wallings Nursery’s strawberry season launch and new office opening. Mack embarked on an ongoing joint venture with the soft-fruit grower three years ago and it now supplies a significant proportion of Mack’s strawberry offer to the multiples.
Parent company Fresca’s communications manager Judy Whittaker told FPJ at the launch: “Mack used to be synonymous with British production, but just lately it has been more associated with imported fruit and veg, with the younger generation in the industry relatively unaware of the company’s deeply rooted traditions in British horticulture. This agreement with Fruit Focus is just the start of Mack reconfirming its commitment to British growers.”
The consumer trend towards regional and local is a motive behind the move for Mack, according to Fresca executive chairman Chris Mack. “As part of the development of the total business, we are very keen to invest in British horticulture,” he said. “We were latecomers to the berry sector, but our introduction into it has been very exciting. We have made a big investment into growing British cherries and we are involved in plum and apricot farms in the UK.
“I believe that the industry has forgotten that some of these products - especially stonefruit and soft fruit - can be grown to the same quality in the UK and in some cases they can be better than imported product. But we are very much the category managers and the growers are the experts in local production.”
Christopher Batchelor, MD of Wallings, said the nursery has produced its first commercial crop of Elegance this season. The crop accounts for five per cent of Wallings’ strawberry production and will be increased to 10 per cent for next season.
Fresca has also been involved in British melon production for the last four years in Kent and recently the West Midlands, and has partnerships with growers that produce watermelon, Cantaloupe and Galia melons under polytunnels.
• Judy Whittaker is due to speak at the FPJ Conferences - South East event, in Maidstone, Kent, on 23 June, which will concentrate on strengthening ties throughout the supply chain in that region. In a talk entitled Expanding Your Horizons, she will explain how Thanet Earth came about and Fresca’s plans for British horticulture. Other speakers on the day include New Covent Garden’s Zeenat Anjari, Gary Marshall and Jan Lloyd, and the NFU’s Sarah Pettitt.
No comments yet