Tesco has revealed that a new, extra-sweet tomato variety has hit the shelves this week, following two years of trials involving some 3,000 different types of tomato.
The UK retailer said that the new Sugardrop variety is 'as sweet as a peach', and is the hybrid of two different, yet-to-be-revealed varieties, designed to appeal to consumers who find traditional varieties slightly sharp.
'A few years ago we sat down with our suppliers and asked them to find us a high-quality tomato that would appeal to gourmets with a sweet tooth,' said Tesco tomato buyer Ashleigh McWilliams. 'It was the beginning of major research that involved our growers contacting all the major seed houses in the world in order to find varieties that they could cross pollinate to find a tomato with higher than normal sugar levels.
'The result is the Sugardrop which is the sweetest tomato there has ever been, and now this week UK shoppers will be the first to try it.'
Grown on the Costa Calida in Murcia, south-west Spain, the Sugardrop has been bred by Tesco grower Paloma, the retailer said.
'As tomatoes are so healthy we're hoping that the added sweetness of the Sugardrop will also appeal to Children who might otherwise turn their noses up at them,' McWilliams added.
Another tomato variety, Moruno, has been launched alongside Sugardrop at Tesco, described as having a complex, aromatic flavour with very few seeds but a thick, juicy flesh.
Both new varieties are being sold as part of Tesco's Finest range, at a price of £1.50 (€1.66) for a 280g punnet.
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