Sainsbury's looks set to continue down the path of more direct relationships with its grower base, according to comments from one of its product technical managers.
The supermarket's Simon Hinks told an audience at Fruit Focus last week that 'short supply chains are really important for freshness'. Sainsbury's is also stepping up its work on naming local producers, with the faces of growers who deliver directly to stores appearing in 67 of the retailer's outlets.
His comments come in a year in which Sainsbury's has moved a large amount of its English apple supply to Kent grower AC Goatham, leading commentators to suggest it is part of a new strategy of direct sourcing by the supermarket.
In a wide-ranging speech, Hinks laid down a number of challenges to the fruit industry. While he said it was important to develop great-tasting and flavoursome varieties, there shouldn't always be a drive for more sugar. Breeders should also be looking at breeding-in more nutrition to their products, while adding shelf life brings huge benefits to consumers in the home.
Season extension is another area the supermarket is keen on, though not at the expense of quality or taste.
Suppliers and retailers also need to work together to develop pack formats tailored to different outlets such as online, convenience and so on, according to HInks. 'Generic, in-the-middle [product lines] no longer work,' he stressed.
Hinks also refuted the argument that Brits are eating less fruit and veg, arguing instead that they were simply buying less and throwing less away, with the amount of food being wasted in the home having dropped from 35 per cent to 20 per cent in the last five years [WRAP].
Indeed, waste is 'number one in customers' minds' and a 'huge driver' for not buying fruit and vegetables, Hinks said, adding that packaging has a big part to play in reducing wastage.
Asked for his view of GM, Hinks poured cold water on pro-GM hopes supermarkets could be persuaded to stock genetically modified food. 'GM is driven by customer perception,' he said. 'We will give customers the option, and at the moment the customer view is that it's not something they're looking to buy.'
Meanwhile, Hinks revealed that for 16 weeks of the year, strawberries are the best-selling line by value across the entire store. The fruit also remains in the top five year-round, with Royal Gala, Braeburn, blueberries and raspberries also featuring in the top 50.
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