Sainsbury’s has added Mediterranean flavour to its produce range with their new Marmonde tomato set to feature in stores nationwide between January and April.
Produced by leading fruit and vegetable specialist The Greenery, Marmonde tomatoes are similar to typical Mediterranean varieties but have an improved shelf-life enabling them to hit appear in the UK in their prime.
The Greenery has used a specialist growing method to concentrate on quality rather than yield, meaning the product offers all the taste and texture attributes of classic Mediterranean varieties.
Marmonde tomatoes are traditionally used in tomato salads but can also be used in hot dishes. They are sweeter than standard round tomatoes, with a brix value of around 7.5 per cent.
Richard Binks, technical manager of Greenery UK, said: “People go on holiday and try new dishes featuring ingredients that perhaps they haven’t tried before. Marmonde offers shoppers the chance to buy a very similar product to the one which they loved on holiday.
“The Marmonde tomato has been benchmarked against some typical Mediterranean varieties that are commonly grown in Southern Europe but usually only sold to the local markets because of very short shelf life.
“Our growers have the knowledge and experience to grow a fruit that retains its excellent 'Mediterranean' flavour and has improved shelf life, thus allowing the fruit to be sold in the UK.
“There is a real demand from consumers for fruit and vegetables that are a little different from the norm and we are confident that Marmonde will meet their tastes.”
The Greenery is one of Europe's major producers and importers of fresh fruit and vegetables with an average annual turnover of approximately €2.5 billion (£2.2 million).
