National Fruit Show president Lord Mayhew has warned that the consumer's taste for English apples cannot be taken for granted.
The former Tory minister insists that ongoing promotion of English top fruit is vital, despite so-far unwavering loyalty from the public.
In his foreword in the Fruit Show Handbook, Mayhew wrote: 'We need to show we are grateful for their [consumers] loyalty, but we can't afford to trade on it. Continuous improvement in quality, presentation and marketing has to be the order of the day.' Mayhew also pointed to the success of sister exhibition the Restaurant Show at London's Olympia last month, in order to illustrate how the appeal of such events could be broadened.
The National Fruit Show takes place on October 17/18 at Detling in Kent.
