Ocado Retail is kicking off the UK's main strawberry season nearly a month early, with strawberries grown at the foot of the Malvern Hills using spring sunlight.
The online retailer will offer 100% UK-grown early-season strawberries from the Berryworld brand when they go on sale next week, two days after the clocks change for British Summer Time.
From 31 March, Ocado.com will offer Berryworld strawberry punnets sourced from UK farms. The first harvest comes from Herefordshire, with nearly 20,000 punnets expected in the first two weeks.
Martha Springham, Trading Manager at Ocado, said: "We're proud to bring early, UK-grown strawberries to our customers this spring. Our growers have worked tirelessly to cultivate our proprietary varieties efficiently, and Ocado's flexibility allows us to prioritise the first picks, delivering the freshest and sweetest strawberries straight to our customers. It's a perfect way to celebrate the Easter period and support British farming."
Maria Thomasson at Berryworld said: "The British strawberry season typically runs from late April to late September. Ocado's long-term partnerships with UK growers and investment in advanced growing techniques mean the retailer can offer ultra-early-season strawberries, even after cooler weather in previous months. The first batches of strawberries from Berryworld will come from heated tunnels, instead of glasshouses."
Ocado expects strong demand for early UK strawberries, with previous years showing a 40% increase in sales within four weeks of the first UK harvest reaching the market.
For more information:
Ocado Retail
Email: [email protected]
www.ocadoretail.com
