New season potatoes from Cornwall and Pembrokeshire arrived in Tesco stores this week as part of the market leader’s local branding initiative.

“Cornish potatoes have been a great success for Tesco and the local economy,” said supplier Branston, Tesco account director. “Tesco now sells more Cornish potatoes than all other retailers put together, and this year they will be in more stores than ever before.”

Mark Rowe is the first grower of the season to come on stream with more than 700 acres of tubers under production near Helston, Cornwall. He is making direct deliveries into the Helston store and the Chepstow RDC this week, which supplies the whole of south-west England.

By the third week of May, Rowe expects to be lifting around 600 tonnes a week and for his product to be distributed nation-wide.

The season is running about seven days behind last year because of the February cold snap that affected much of the UK. However, product quality has not been jeopardised and samples are eating well.

Pembrokeshire new potatoes were expected to come on stream on May 5, before gradually building in volume to supply all Tesco’s Welsh stores over the next two weeks.

Both the Cornish and Welsh crops are being supported by pos material in regional languages and promotional literature.

The Kent and Suffolk crops will both be on stream by the end of May.

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