The arrival of hot weather and the imminence of Wimbledon mean that soft fruit and stonefruit are beginning to fill up the shelves.
While Europe is taking over as the major supplier, the US is still proving those flat peaches marketed as donut peaches - the variety is actually May Saturn - have a niche retailing at £2.99 for four at Marks & Spencer.
What I have a feeling we will see more of, however, are combination packs of soft fruit as a way to ring the changes. There was a good new example in the same store of a 50:50 balance of super-fruits blueberries and pomegranates pre-packed in Spain for £2.49.
And to make sure everyone realises that summer is here, Sainsbury’s has used a bright sticker on its two-for-one offer on orange- flesh melons.
However, there are other products on offer less associated with the summer sunshine. In particular, Tesco appears to have added a whole new dimension to potatoes and vegetables with a range of mixed packs coming on stream. Some are more unusual or more highly packaged than others. What caught my eye first was a roasting potato pack complete with garlic and ready to barbecue at £1.99.
Potatoes, which are not the most attractive item in the produce aisles, have been upgraded with a window in a highly decorative rigid pack, and there was more to come.
Vegetable selections are now being combined with the humble spud, such as mustard potato and rocket salads for £1.79, and herbs, potatoes and garden vegetables at £1.99.
Not to be outdone, the fresh bean and pea industries are investing some £20,000 for the first time in a media campaign to boost sales so this will doubtless add to the effect.
But the prize for innovation must surely go to Tesco’s Caesar-style vegetables at £1.69. The pack contains spinach, courgettes, asparagus and broccoli, with a dressing and Parmesan cheese - a sort of fresh ready meal with a twist.
While a twist usually brings thoughts of lemons and refreshing cocktails to mind, the idea has not been lost on Sainsbury’s. The store I visited has shelf-barkers suggesting that stoned cherries with tequila and Cointreau are the basis for a summer drink.
Cherries, in fact, seem to be earlier and more plentiful this year than ever before. Turkish fruit for example is already on the shelf. M&S is running a £1-off twin-pack that combines fruit from Spain and the US at £2.99.
Spanish Picota is just about to arrive and several North American types from the same source have also been in evidence over the last few weeks, and in this case a bold black one called California. Ranier still seems to be unique to North America when it comes to commercial volume, so it was intriguing to see the message “Limited availability” printed on the trays holding bagged fruit.
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