UK onions appear to be losing out when it comes to the ethnic catering sector, a wholesaler has revealed.
Peter Marsh of A & C Produce Ltd on Manchester market said his customers know what they are looking for from an onion and different ethnic groups have distinct preferences when it comes to sourcing. “The Asians prefer the Dutch onions because they apparently make better curries, while the Chinese like Spanish onions better,” Marsh claimed.
The company’s UK customers tended to favour home-grown product when available, currently coming from the Cambridge area, but also dabbled in Spanish as well, he added.
Retail onion trends are a different story, however, according to G’s Marketing product manager Stephanie Lamin. Supermarkets continue to report that British onions are widely preferred, with Spanish onions achieving a separate following, she claimed. “I have never heard of anyone requesting Dutch over British,” added Lamin.
