Soft-fruit marketing desk KG Fruits reported record-breaking sales during the second week of Wimbledon this year as the sector shrugged off the World Cup effect.
“We had a bit of a sticky week the week before Wimbledon but sales during the fortnight were good, especially the second week,” said md Nicholas Marston. “We sold the most we’ve ever sold in a week through the supermarkets - 1,700 tonnes - plus what we sold through the wholesale markets.”
He said that TV advertising by some of the chains and good support in-store had really boosted sales.
Production has now dipped a little and sales have fallen back slightly as well this week. “But that is normal to have a slight dip after Wimbledon, and we have some nice weather forecast for next week, which will help keep the season in balance,” explained Marston.
At The Summerfruit Company, Scott Woolford reports a good start to the everbearer season. “We have been supplementing with imports over Wimbledon fortnight, but English production is coming back,” said Woolford. “The early everbearers are starting now and will be flushing through to the end of July.”
Laurence Olins, chairman of industry body British Summer Fruits (BSF) reported that sales are running just ahead of last year. “This is pleasing given the late start and that the first week of Wimbledon began with some cool wet weather,” he said. “The long-term forecast is good and it looks like the everbearer crop is more in balance so we won’t get the peak of production that we had in August last year.”
BSF believes that the industry is still on target to see a sales uplift of some 10-15 per cent as it forecast at the outset of the campaign. “A lot now depends on the second half of the season weather-wise, but we are quietly confident of a longer and better everbearer season.”
Although sales on the days England played during the World Cup were disappointing, the overall effect of the tournament on strawberry uptake has been negligible. “The World Cup does not seem to have had any adverse impact, but we put a lot of effort into countering any [negative] effect,” said Olins. “And there will be another promotional push with more activity in August.”
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