Sainsbury’s has enjoyed a very strong cherry season from Chile and Argentina, according to stonefruit buyer Neil Gibson, with the last Argentinean shipments due to arrive in the UK at the end of February.
“We have grown market share on cherries from 15 per cent to 20 per cent, with a dramatic sales increase of 70 per cent through the course of the season,” he told freshinfo. “This was driven by early promotions on price in the run-up to Christmas, new packs and a half-price deal.”
However, the winter plum season proved much more difficult. “We struggled on availability due to bad rains in South Africa and late packing and shipping, but stuck with our 750g punnet,” said Gibson. “But we are now looking forward to our yellow Golden plums from South Africa and our eagerly awaited South African Flavorking crop, sold under the Taste the Difference brand. The latter is a very difficult variety to grow, but has a high brix level of 15-16.”
The overall stonefruit category at Sainsbury’s is growing 20 per cent through the southern-hemisphere season - despite issues on plums - thanks to the buoyancy of the cherry category. “However, at the end of February, cherries will finish, and then we will shift into plums more. We will link Golden plums to a two for two Braeburn apple and Conference pear offer,” said Gibson. “This piggybacks a tried-and-tested top-fruit promotion, to drive penetration into yellow plums.”
April is traditionally a tough month for the stonefruit category, added Gibson, but Sainsbury’s is working towards bringing in residue-free peaches from Egypt and Mexico.
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