For the first time Marks & Spencer has produced a home-grown variety of sugar snap peas with no stringy bits.
The new variety of pea, called Sugarlace, is sweeter than others and is being grown in Gloucestershire by brothers William and Martin Haines. It is hoped that the new variety will please consumers, who have complained that the stringy bits on the sugar snap pea get stuck in their teeth.
The brothers have paid close attention to the plants to ensure that they flourish in the milder British climate. Water and air temperatures have been monitored very closely - to ensure that they thrive in a cooler environment. The home-grown sugar snaps are priced at £1.49 for 200g.
Sugar snaps have increased in sales industry wide by almost 10 per cent in the last year and 15 per cent at M&S in the last 12 months according to TNS.
Sam Franklin, M&S vegetable specialist, said: “In the spring our grower spent a lot of time really looking after the plants, so despite the awful weather this summer we are going to have a good UK crop. I’m really excited to offer customers a home grown variety of a popular vegetable that was previously not grown in the UK.”
M&S is increasing the amount of home-grown produce it sells during the UK season as part of its Plan A commitment -its business-wide £200m “eco-plan”. M&S has initiated five research and development projects and is working with farmers to extend the UK growing season and to grow new varieties such as melons and apricots, organic apples, watercress, mange tout and sugar snap peas and potatoes.
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