In 2019, Hugh Lowe Farms in Mereworth - near Maidstone - supplied more than 33 tons of the succulent summer fruit to the famous tennis tournament. However, last year there were no crowds descending on SW19 due to the coronavirus health crisis. This has meant a drop in demand, and many berries have been diverted to food banks to stop them from being wasted.
But the crowds have returned for the 2021 edition of the championships, with owner and director of Hugh Lowe Farms, Marion Regan, saying she estimates around 22 tons of strawberries have been sent up to The All England Club. That is the equivalent of just less than two double decker buses.
“They have, obviously, not run a full event with regards to spectator numbers. But they have still taken a lot of strawberries,” Mrs Regan told kentonline.co.uk. “Probably not quite as many as they would normally but, this week, they are talking about having full capacity on centre court and court one for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. So I think they have taken about two-thirds of what they would normally take.”
The farm usually produces an incredible 5,000 tons of fresh berries between April and November in total each growing season. An east London food bank was offered the surplus strawberries last year but Mrs Regan, who took over the family business from her father Hugh Lowe, says excess fruit has not been as much of an issue this time around.
