Spanish stalkless Picota cherries are enjoying a vintage season due to the perfect growing conditions that have been in evidence since blossom time in mid to late March. There promises to be excellent availability in the UK through July and into early August – provided of course that the good weather holds.

Penny Pidd, senior product manager with Redbridge Produce Marketing, the UK's largest importer representing the Agrupación de Co-operativas Valle del Jerte, said: 'The quality of Picota cherries has been excellent this year with fruit having superb flavour which has been enhanced by high sugar levels from the outset.

'Our supermarket customers are already reporting a surge in sales as summer gets under way. Punneted fruit is easy to handle, offering great value, and the denomination of origin (DO) certification by which all Picotas from this region are protected, ensure that our customers know what they are buying.' A promotional campaign, managed by Foods from Spain on behalf of the industry, aims to give Picotas an enhanced in-store identity. Cherry shaped on-pack stickers will be appearing on the punnets at Sainsbury's, Iceland, Netto, Somerfield, Morrison's and Budgen's.

The stickers will give full details of the competitions, which offer a range of coupon prizes: 'Win a fantastic trip to Universal Studios, Port Aventura, Spain'; 'Kids go Free at over 100 theme parks and leisure attractions'; 'Win a fantastic family holiday for 4 to Paris'; Win 1 of 5 weekend breaks to Spain' .

Additionally there will be poster advertising, and a full media campaign will target specialist food magazines and national newspapers.

María Jose Sevilla, UK director of Foods from Spain, added: 'We are delighted with the initial response from the trade as the season gets under way. Cherries offer the opportunity to tap into an enormous impulse market which means that our famous and unique Picotas will become more widely recognised as a speciality fruit over the six weeks.' Margaret James, buyer at Somerfield, said the Picota season is shaping up to be one of the best. 'Last week was our first full week of Picotas and we saw exceptional sales and quality – I would certainly agree that this is a vintage crop. Last year was unfortunately a bad one for the Picota producers, but we expect to have their fruit in-store until the end of July this year, alongside the rest of our cherry offer. I think the fact that we are taking part in this promotion for Picota shows the confidence we have in the line.'

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