The US-based Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) has said the country’s prospects for exporting watermelon to the UK look “promising” following a recent trip to London.

While watermelon is increasing in popularity in the UK, it is nowhere near as omnipresent as it is in the US, according to the board. The US produces almost four billion pounds of watermelon annually, after China and Iran.

A delegation of staff and board members recently visited London to investigate opportunities for US fruit. The group consisted of Brent Harrison, NWPB president, and fellow board members Bradley O’Neal and Brent Jackson, as well as NWPB executive director Mark Arney, and marketing director Gordon Hunt.

Its itinerary included visits to the three leading UK importers of watermelon, retail store visits and a meeting with Jennifer Wilson, agricultural specialist with USDA, from the US embassy. The trip also included an additional visit to Keelings, of Dublin, Ireland, corporate owner of JANIC.

According to Arney, the meetings with the US embassy and local importers went very well, and things look promising for the start of US watermelon exports next year. He also noted that the new personal-size watermelon was of particular interest to retailers.

Topics