supermarket rejected lemons at Riverford

Riverford has redistributed lemons rejected by two major retailers 

Organic box scheme firm Riverford is redistributing six tonnes of Italian lemons after they were rejected by two major retailers for not meeting aesthetic specifications.

The lemons had some skin blemishes due to hail damage and lack of suitable light, Riverford said, leading to the crop being deemed 'unsuitable to meet retailer specification based on appearance'. The lemons were reported as Spanish on national media outlets, including the BBC, but were actually from Italy, Riverford told FPJ.

The company took delivery of the six pallets of lemons at its Peterborough farm and did not receive a discount. And it said that any of its customers who want lemons and “don’t mind a bit of scar-dodging” will have them added to orders.

Technical manager, Dale Robinson, said: “The lemons are slightly green in areas, due to not enough difference between night and daytime temperatures, and have a few scars from hail damage. We’ve had our team of in-house chefs check them out and inside they are beautiful, ripe, aromatic lemons with plenty of juice and flavour.

'This is another example of a crazy food system that has forgotten it's producing food, not kitchen ornaments,' he added.