The first ever UK-grown white sweetcorn has gone on sale at Sainsbury’s.
The sweetcorn, which is usually grown in America, has been cultivated in the unlikely setting of Enfield by London’s only Zimbabwean farmer, former journalist David Mwanaka.
Mwanaka caused a stir last year by cultivating Zimbabwean white maize for specialist shops, restaurants and buyers. Although the maize was seen as too chewy and floury to appeal to the mainstream UK market, the sweetcorn is sweeter and juicier than traditional yellow sweetcorn, and will be available later, until October.
The crop has been developed following six years of cultivating the white maize. After political changes in Zimbabwe drove Mwanaka to the UK, he missed one of the country’s staple crops and decided to grow it in his back garden in Tilbury. Having found the plants successfully adapted to the UK climate, he acquired 10 acres of land in Enfield, which has since increased to 70 - over 20 of which are located in Salisbury.
Mwanaka said: “I am on a mission to get the UK eating white sweetcorn. It’s fantastic to eat - even sweeter than the usual varieties. It’s long been a favourite in the states - I can’t wait to see the response here.”
Nathan Delicott, farms director of Barfoots of Botley who are distributing the sweetcorn, added: “White sweetcorn is at the cutting edge of the produce market, and working with David has been fantastic - he is an incredibly talented grower and shares our vision to excite the UK shopper in choice, taste and quality. White sweetcorn promises to be a hot topic across the UK.”
The sweetcorn is part of the supermarket’s ‘Taste the Difference’ range, and will be available in stores within the M25.
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