Ocado Retail is kicking off the UK’s main strawberry season nearly a month early, with strawberries grown at the foot of the beautiful Malvern hills, using the light from the spring sunshine. The leading online retailer will offer 100% UK-grown, ultra early-season strawberries from the Berryworld Brand when they go on sale next week, just two days after the clocks go forward to mark the start of British Summertime.
From 31st March, Ocado.com will be offering Berryworld strawberry punnets, 100% sourced from UK farms, supporting local growers and offering customers the freshest strawberries possible. The first UK picks come 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, commented: “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 means 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% uplift in sales within four weeks of their first UK picks hitting the shelves.
