To mark the first British Tomato Week, Stubbins Marketing hosted an open day at its Rhymney Valley Nursery, the largest producing nursery in Wales.
The day was an ideal opportunity to promote tomatoes, in support of British Tomato Week which began May 17 and runs through to May 23. The event is the first in a series of open days which the company plans to host across its UK nurseries this year.
Stubbins commercial manager Chris Rawlins fully backs the initiative. He said: “The idea of a tomato week is the type of project which is long overdue as it will provide all parts of the industry with a focal point for the good news associated with British tomatoes. We are using this week as the first step in inviting people to our sites around the UK and we are planning numerous events for the future.”
Stubbins opened its Rhymney Valley Nursery to the general public, providing the opportunity for people to view tomato production and taste the fruit. Invitations went out to the local schools and Willow Brook Primary School took the opportunity to visit the nursery to see the tomatoes first hand. Manager Keith Hammonds held court to 20 children from the school explaining how the tomatoes are grown at the nursery. The school children are big tomato fans as they have embarked on a project to grow some at their school, and Hammonds showed the children just how many different varieties of tomato are grown at the site from plum to vine, cherry, beefsteak and classic.
What pleased Rawlins the most was how much the children enjoyed tasting the tomatoes, trying as many varieties as they possibly could and some munching on the larger varieties as if they were apples. He said: “We want to get children eating the various tomato types so that they can appreciate that its not just chocolate bars and crisps that have distinct and pleasurable flavours. It is great to see how much the children enjoyed the visit. Some of them left the nursery with their t-shirts covered in tomato juice, where they had been tucking in eagerly to the fruit and with the tour completed a lot of the children opted to carry on eating the tomatoes ahead of biscuits on offer.”
Somerfield, one of Stubbins supermarket customers, visited the nursery. Somerfield’s category buyer Dominic Edwards said: “With Stubbins hosting an open day it provides a fantastic opportunity alongside British Tomato Week to promote the great taste and healthy eating benefits of tomatoes to consumers of all ages.”
Rawlins believes open days like these provide Stubbins with a unique opportunity. He said: “We want to inform the public about the health benefits associated with tomatoes and how pest and disease management has developed through the use of biological and environmental controls. But more importantly we want them to be aware of the fun range and exceptionally beautiful and delicious varieties they can choose from.”
“We wanted to show how new varieties and types are introduced as part of our product development. It also provides the opportunity to demonstrate how to prepare the various types to maximise the characteristic taste and flavours.”
Stubbins managing director Mario Difrancesco was delighted with the day’s results. He said: “Events like this give us the chance to educate the school children on how we grow the tomatoes and it is good to see them enjoy the fruit. They will all take away a tomato plant so they can continue the fun by growing their own produce.”
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