Suffolk/Essex/Norfolk: Early ripening strawberry crop reaches supermarket shelves
Andrew Sturgeon is pictured in Lindsey with his early crop of strawberries. - Credit: Archant
A mild spring has prompted an early show of local strawberries this year, with the East of England Co-op taking its first deliveries direct from the fields of growers in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.
Andrew Sturgeon is pictured in Lindsey with his early crop of strawberries. - Credit: Archant
Supplier Andrew Sturgeon, of Lindsey Farm Lodge, near Hadleigh, said the weather in March and early April was “particularly favourable”.
Andrew Sturgeon is pictured in Lindsey with his early crop of strawberries. - Credit: Archant
“The result is we are about three weeks earlier than last year,” he said.
East of England Co-op’s local and fresh food manager Kevin Warden said: “Our Sourced Locally strawberries, which come direct from the farms into their nearest stores within 24 hours of picking, are always popular. This year, it’s great news for our customers that the season has started earlier than ever – and that we’ll be holding last year’s prices.”
“We now have local strawberries delivered direct to 90% of our stores which keeps our four local growers on their toes right through the summer because we sell punnets of strawberries almost as fast as they get delivered!”
You may also want to watch:
Andrew sturgeon will be delivering two varieties of strawberry, Elsanta and Sonata, to 35 Co-op stores, including the Co-op’s three new stores at Lavenham, Risbygate and Darsham. Andrew’s nearest store is at Hadleigh, under five miles from his farm, where strawberries can be in shoppers basket’s within four hours of picking.
Andrew said: “With any fruit the freshness decreases rapidly after picking and so the fact our strawberries go direct from farm to store means the fruit is as fresh and tasty as it can be and still has a wonderful strawberry aroma.
Most Read
- 1 Boss who boasted of lavish lifestyle is bankrupt with £100k debts
- 2 Woman's body found in village home
- 3 Felixstowe beach hut goes on sale for record price
- 4 Indian Covid variant being monitored in Suffolk after one case confirmed
- 5 History of the Cook cull - a look back at his busy transfer windows with Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Wigan
- 6 Couple were found 'slumped over' on their sofa, inquest hears
- 7 Wigan kitman Craney given Town coaching role by Cook
- 8 ‘Demolition Man’ Cook tells vast majority of Ipswich Town squad to find new clubs
- 9 Rapist subjected two children to 'unimaginable ordeal' over five years
- 10 A14 delays as police deal with incident near Orwell Bridge
“All our fruit is grown to high standards, both in terms of fruit quality, food safety and care for the natural environment in which we operate. Our punnets display both the ‘LEAF’ and Assured Produce ‘Red Tractor’ labels.”
At Fiveways Farm in Colchester, Julian Mead will be supplying 20 Essex stores with three varieties of strawberry: Vibrant, Sonata and Serena.
Julian said: “This year the crop is three weeks earlier than last year which, as well as being good news for customers, also helps growers by spreading demand over a longer period which generally results in better quality of fruit in store. All fruit is early this year – for instance this will be the first year that we will be able to deliver raspberries to East of England Co-op stores in May.”
