A home-grown wonder berry that has three times as many antioxidants as blueberries is to go on sale for the first time in the UK at Marks & Spencer.
The aronia berry originates from North America but is being grown in Blairgowrie, Scotland, where the damp, mild conditions are suitable for production.
Scottish grower Peter Thompson of growers Thomas Thomson Blairgowrie, set up by his great great grandfather more than a century ago, has spent six years bringing the crop to fruition.
The sharp-tasting berry, which is already popular in Poland, is similar in shape and size to a blueberry, but black in colour. It is mostly used in sauces for summer puddings, French-style coulis sauces, cheesecake and juice.
M&S decided to sell the berry following increasing demand from customers for health-boosting fruits. Blueberry sales at the retailer, for example, have increased 40 per cent in the last year, as shoppers look for healthy snack options.
M&S berry specialist Emmett Lunny said: “We are proud to bring one of the healthiest berries to the high street. Blueberries and raspberries are proving extremely popular as more and more people opt for fruit as a snack or pudding, but our research shows they are always on the lookout for something new. Aronia berries have a delicious, distinctive flavour as a sauce or in fruit pie.”
Thomson added: “It is a great achievement to grow such a healthy, tasty berry in Britain for the first time. There is a huge market for healthy berries so we are sure the aronia will prove very popular.”
No comments yet