Despite this year’s poor weather, consumers can still enjoy the taste of summer as UK sweetcorn harvesting gets underway.
Leading producer Barfoots of Botley was on course to begin harvesting sweetcorn in late July and, unlike other producers, expected to be one to two days ahead of last year. “We’re very fortunate geographically,” says Colin Miller, senior buying manager. “Being on the south coast of England, we enjoy high temperatures and light levels. We’ve had some rain, but I think the other producing areas of Suffolk, Herefordshire and Worcester have borne the brunt of the poor weather.”
The producer devotes several thousands of acres to conventional sweetcorn production, and Miller estimates plantings have risen approximately 20 per cent per annum over the last five to six years. Barfoots is also producing organic sweetcorn, which will start on the same date as conventional product.
“We already produce other organic crops and this is part of our farm’s diversification,” Miller says. “Our customers have been asking for organics and we’re satisfying demand.” He is keen to stress that volumes this year are substantial.
Chris Hutchinson of Arthur Hutchinson Ltd said his firm began handling UK-grown sweetcorn on July 20. “Volumes have been very light, but will pick up quickly,” he predicts. “We source sweetcorn from Sussex and we’ve had very good quality.”
Greyfriars produces sweetcorn in four areas of England - Essex, Suffolk, Sussex and Yorkshire. Despite the recent wet weather, John Smith, Greyfriar’s managing director, is optimistic that “plantings should be okay, although one or two fields could do with being a bit drier,” he says.
According to Greyfriars, harvesting of outdoor crops may be slightly delayed due to the poor weather. Fleeced (protected) crop comes on line first, in early August, with the main crop following some three to four weeks later.
Greyfriars received a lot of attention when the company announced it was producing sweetcorn in Yorkshire. “Sweetcorn has been grown on allotments and backyards in the north and even as far as Scotland for many years but from a commercial point of view, Greyfriars was the pioneer of producing super sweets this far north,” Smith says.
“It makes sense to grow a crop as close to the market as possible. Temperatures are getting warmer and we thought it was worth experimenting with sweetcorn production up here.”
The gamble seems to have paid off, as Greyfriars trialled Yorkshire production four years ago and plans to increase its plantings. “We’ll be growing about 80-100 acres next year and this is still modest compared to southern production, but we need to be sensible about rolling out production,” Smith says.
While growers are busy harvesting their crops, many are keeping a close eye on Mother Nature.
“Corn is a product that needs sunshine, and with the poor weather it’s difficult to say how the season will pan out,” says Hutchinson. “The whole UK fresh produce industry, not just sweetcorn, needs good weather.”
Mark Stroude of Culver Farms Produce agrees. He explains: “We haven’t had a typical spring and endured a wet and cloudy May and June. This means that plans have to be adjusted.”
Stroude predicts that the weather will have an effect on yields and cob size may also be smaller.
While the poor UK weather may not have had a significant impact on Barfoots’ production, Miller acknowledges that a small question mark hangs over demand. “Sweetcorn isstill a seasonal product and it’s a product that’s reactive to the weather,” he says. “However, we supply throughout the year, even in January and February, so clearly demand is there.”
Barfoots is keen to stress it has a good sales base throughout the year and demand has held up relatively well considering the poor summer weather. But sweetcorn sales inevitably peak during the UK season. “When there is a warm weekend and/or an ongoing warm period, we see a spike in sales and we’re hoping for more sales spikes as we go into the UK season,” Miller tells FPJ.
Like other producers, Greyfriars feels strong sweetcorn demand tends to correlate well with the barbecue season. “The reality is that sales peak in August and September when retail prices are lowest anyway and demand takes a knock if there is poor weather,” Smith says. “Obviously, the weather is a concern for growers. The early signs are that demand is certainly down a touch on last year, and we’re a little anxious about the weather in August.”
Consumers will inevitably set the agenda this season. “We need to look to their impressions of summer,” Stroude says. “If we see a spell of cold weather in August, there is the fear that consumers may think summer has been forgotten.”
However, UK sweetcorn benefits from having no competition during its season. “Sweetcorn is grown in France and Germany at the same time as the UK, but I’d be very surprised to see any coming into the UK during the season because what would be the point? We’ve got locally produced, fresh corn and we don’t need to pay transport costs,” says Miller.
UK and European consumers generally prefer yellow corn and Barfoots has its own variety selection and breeding programme. The producer intends to roll out a number of new varieties in house this year. Miller says new varieties need to meet a number of criteria before they are selected: “Good taste is an obvious one. Sweetcorn has to have sweetness but not be overly sweet, and a strong, vigorous plant is needed. Variety selection has a lot to do with the number of days it takes to produce ripe corn.”
Greyfriars has been working on a number of product range developments and is looking to roll these out in the summer if they are successful.
Smith acknowledges the modern varieties of sweetcorn are sweet, tender and tasty. “It’s up to us and our customers to ensure that this message is conveyed to the final consumer, and for us then to realise the full potential of this great crop,” he concludes.
Greyfriars programmes year-round sweetcorn production for Morrisons. “There are speculative growers about during the UK season - which can end up as distressed sellers and margin disrupters - but supermarkets recognise the need for arrangements with long-term, reliable suppliers, and so speculation is a risky business in modern agriculture,” says Smith. “That’s a good thing - we need to have programmed production and for everyone to know where they are.”
Producers have high hopes for the future of the sweetcorn deal, and Barfoots has recently invested in a multi-million pound state-of-the-art extension to its existing sweetcorn plant. “We are fully committed to the latestautomation and packing developments,” says Miller.
The company has ploughed significant funds into state-of-the-art robotic methods to handle and pack cobs. “Robots in the plant keep sweetcorn capacity high and we need this investment to ensure that we meet our customer requirements and safeguard against any potential labour issues in the future,” Miller says.
Barfoots has also invested and patented measures to maximise shelf life. Miller explains: “We have a unique, patented method of clean working and handling that provides our customers with extended shelf life and improved convenience and consistency.”
When it comes to customers, Barfoots has reason to believe it is ahead of the game. The producer holds the biannual event CornFest, which has a number of aims - to raise Barfoots’ profile, develop sales of sweetcorn and highlightthe use ofenvironmentally friendly farming practices, while raising money for charity.
Last year’sCornFest took place on August 5, and consisted of farm tours by tractor and trailer as well as cookery demonstrations, a food village based on Barfoots’ own and other local produce, a tug-of-war competition and side-show entertainment.
“CornFest is a bit of fun, held for the local people, but it’s very successful and we raise a lot of money for charity,” says Miller. “It’s traditional to have festivals like this in America and, as Barfoots of Botley is the biggest sweetcorn producer and processor in Europe, it’s good for us to do.”
Barfoots is also involved in roadshows and a field café where customers get to try sweetcorn with different varieties of sauce. Barbecue sauce has proven particularly popular. The company is also heavily involved in promoting 5 A DAY to schools, which the company feels gives it the advantage of dealing directly with consumers.
Indeed, during these trials, Barfoots found that cobettes were popular among children. “They’re so easy to pick up and are good sizes for kids,” Miller says. “I believe there is lots of room for growth for cobettes; they are a very convenient product.”
Offering added value to customers is an important part of the fresh produce business, and sweetcorn is no exception.
Smith says there is a growing demand for stripped product. He explains: “It is nothing new to say that many consumers are cash rich and time poor and need their vegetables ready to cook. In the case of sweetcorn, this is particularly valid. Manually stripping corn of its husk, messing about with silks and battling to chop off the woody butts is a challenge many would like to avoid.
“Unstripped sweetcorn can also hide a number of surprises such as aphids and moulds deep within the leaves and then, when stripped, might have blind pips, bruising and mechanical damage. Those of us who are serious about the consumer are well kitted out to provide a full range of options, from loose, unstripped product right down to stripped halves and wheels for kebabs.”
Even though the future success of this season is largely weather dependent, sources are keen to emphasise their faith in sweetcorn. “UK producers grow some of the finest corn on the cob in the world,” Hutchinson says. “Demand is increasing every year, and it’s a very good line for us.”
FRENCH FIRM ESTABLISHES UK BASE
French vegetable producer Terr’loire, formerly known as Cooperative de Checy, is hoping to gain further exposure in the UK. The firm’s Stéphane Aubry came to England in April to establish a base here. Based in Letchworth, Terr’loire is confident it can service the UK market directly.
“We used to work with a big UK-based importer, but now we’re dealing directly with wholesalers and are also approaching retailers,” Aubry explains. “The UK market accounts for 70 per cent of our sweetcorn volumes, and we’re convinced we have to keep working here.”
Aubry claims Terr’loire has a number of advantages over its competitors. “We can offer a very attractive price to our sweetcorn customers,” he tells FPJ. “We produce sweetcorn in France and do not freeze the corn before cooking it.”
Terr’loire will organise transport to deliver anywhere in the UK, and can guarantee its customers a long-life product, with a shelf life of at least four months.
As well as sweetcorn, Terr’loire also hopes its vacuum packed long-life beetroot and 10kg salad potatoes find a market in the UK. “We are able to offer mixed pallets to allow customers to get as many products in the same pallet,” Aubry says.
Terr’loire also supplies Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland with vacuum-packed sweetcorn and has recently begun selling in Greece.
No comments yet