I get the impression from reports on European stonefruit harvesting that it has been a bit of a bumpy ride so far this season, but this has not stopped more novelties turning up on retail shelves.

Pride of place most go this week to Marks & Spencer’s exclusive Black Velvet apricots. From the US and priced at £3.99, they are as dark as their name implies and labelled Midnight.

Then there has been the arrival of “new” Donut peaches, this time grown in Israel, at Asda for £2.58, although the fruit has been around for several years on the UK scene and in fact originated in the US. What is interesting, however, is that the fruit’s shape has allowed for a new concept in space-saving packing that should help reduce bruising as the fruits all fit snugly together. It also has the effect of making them look more like the sweet treat after which they were named.

Meanwhile, the UK berry fruit season is in full swing and peaked well, it would seem, for Wimbledon fortnight. However, while the vibes remain excellent for strawberries, raspberries and even blackberries, it seems as if gooseberries are still being left behind in the crop explosion.

I make the point as there have been some excellent samples from Hungary, which to my knowledge has been a traditional source for the UK for many years. As Asda matches Tesco with arrivals, there is clearly increasing interest in gooseberries from the multiples, but is there long-term hope for that Holy Grail - greater import substitution?

And with all the hype about superfruit - those lines judged to be a source of antioxidant - I am not surprised that someone has come up with a fresh superfruit salad. Retailing at Tesco for £2.99 for 400g, it contains mangoes (50 per cent), melons (19 per cent), kiwifruit (16 per cent), blueberries (nine per cent) and pomegranates (six per cent). Nevertheless, despite all the media coverage, the pack does not identify the special attributes of what is rapidly becoming a whole sub-category of fruit.

The exact opposite is evident at Marks & Spencer, which has widened its sweet pepper range, even if the product is mini-sized as in the case of its Dutch Soletto pack at £1.89. But herein lies the USP. Apart from giving credit to supplier Stubbins, packaging also clearly identifies the reasoning behind the product: “Growers have managed to decrease the size...whilst increasing the flavour.”

And while in the vegetable section, I came across another example of imaginative labelling. Kenyan beans at £1.59 for 360g are now being identified not just as Extra Fine but also “young”. As a generality, I feel this term would do wonders for the courgette trade. With the right combination of sun and irrigation, I know that the crop literally grows in front of producers’ eyes. But the result as the year rolls on is that arrivals begin to look like small marrows.

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