Sainsbury’s is backing its annual partnership with Greenvale to deliver potatoes rapidly from the ground to supermarket shelves with a major marketing campaign.
Sainsbury’s is to launch its Local First For Fresh 2009 campaign with potato supplier Greenvale AP next month, in a campaign which will see food miles slashed, with product sourced from within 10 miles in some cases.
The scheme highlights two of the industry’s main concerns, freshness and local sourcing. The retailer hopes that the length of time from digging up some of the potatoes to presentation on shelf can be as little as 15 minutes as they are harvested and delivered to the store by the growers on the same day.
The campaign has grown steadily from just three stores at its inception in 2003 to 36 in 2009, with further growers set to participate next year. A total of 36 Sainsbury's stores will participate in the 2009 Local First for Fresh campaign.
Sainsbury’s has thrown its weight behind the campaign, with hanging banners, car park banners and shelf-front descriptions and photographs of growers to promote the scheme.
Greenvale expects its new potatoes to be the first local crop in the shops as it runs its campaign between May and July, with the date decided by the time of the local harvest,
Charlotte Manwaring, key account manager at Greenvale, told freshinfo: “All the farmers are really on board with it. The potatoes are sourced on a daily basis with orders the day before, and in some cases, growers can deliver the product very quickly.
“[The potatoes] are graded on the farm and those who have the facilities to run it have been very happy to do so and we have had plenty more interest.
"The popularity with store managers is understandable. Average sales uplift is around 80 per cent and one store saw sales increase by 300 per cent during the promotion.
"Those figures underline the demand for locally grown, fresh produce. As consumers become more aware of food miles and carbon footprints, it is up to suppliers like us to listen and respond.
"On the one hand achieving the goal is stressful - for example, the timings are critical - but at the same time it's hugely rewarding and so far the feedback from customers is 100 per cent positive."
Sainsbury's hopes the First For Fresh campaign will underline its commitment to local farmers, while supporting the retailer's objective to provide the healthiest options.
The growing process was specifically developed to produce the first fresh new potatoes in each particular area and includes a specific fertiliser and irrigation regime, as well as the use of fleeced covers to protect new growth from frost. The yield of the crop is also restricted in order to deliver a “sweeter”, smoother-textured potato.
Potato grower Michael Bult said: "Local people can really enjoy these potatoes knowing they come from - literally - just down the road. We get involved with the actual delivery of the stock as well so the customer can be assured they will arrive in perfect condition."
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