As the English apple season draws to a close, Tesco has congratulated its growers on an excellent job, with improvements in quality helping reduce reliance on imports.
This was one of the key messages, together with a host of new initiatives, revealed at the retailer’s annual apple conference and awards ceremony, held at Leeds Castle in Kent two weeks ago.
The event drew together 74 growers who market through Norman Collett, Worldwide Fruit, Hochfeld and EWT, plus Tesco's commercial and technical managers.
It has also become a major event in the English fruit calendar.
Guest speakers this year included Ben Gill, past president of the National Farmers' Union and now chairman of English Apples and Pears, Richard Hirst, his counterpart on the Horticultural Board, and Nuffield scholar Stuart Clark, with a presentation on how other apple industries are adapting to change.
Whilr reviewing the wider picture of Tesco's own progress, senior buyer Martin de la Fuente even wondered if there could be an export market for British fruit in the East, where traditional English products can fetch a premium. On the environment front, he explained that more compostable and degradable packaging materials would be entering the system. Last year, Tesco recycled nine million carrier bags.
And it was also good news for growers from the shop floor. Promotion of UK product, including organics, is set to increase next season, with more visuals expected to bring farming to life for consumers. This will be backed by a greengrocer training programme for staff, to support the concept of eating in season.
Research has shown that Tesco customers want larger, tree-ripened fruit with improved flavour.
“Health is now the most important agenda going forward, with quality and choice the key components of giving customers what they want,” added Shaun Doherty, responsible for benchmarking quality.
An initiative to source more locally grown apples, pears and cherries was unveiled by Giles Gravatt, who is responsible for setting up a group of new local sourcing offices. Regional buyers and technologists who will be appointed this summer are set to run a series of local road shows, giving producers the opportunity to introduce their goods in smaller quantities into local shops. Research at a store in Kent had also shown that the local appeal is so powerful that there are times when it can trump the “British” card - providing it is clearly identified.
Fruit growers in the UK have a built-in advantage in terms of carbon emissions because of their proximity to the market, stressed Richard Hirst, chairman of the NFU Horticultural Board.
But he believes that an environmental, rather than a carbon footprint, will better highlight the benefits of local produce over imported, as well as showing advantages within the local community.
Hirst also praised the Little Red Tractor emblem, but added that it needs to be used effectively to identify British produce quality.
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