Over this morning’s breakfast of black tea and fresh fruit I made a small vow not to talk here about the Olympic Games. Such an obvious subject, I thought – you and I will probably be bored to death of them by the time this comes out – but the impression left on me by my two visits in August to London’s Olympic Park meant that by the time I’d arrived at my desk I simply couldn’t avoid the subject. Sorry, but please do read on.
Of course, you could argue there is a far stronger case for saying something original and thought-provoking about this season’s European apple and pear crop, the first details of which were unveiled by the World Apple & Pear Association at the Prognosfruit conference in Toulouse at the start of last month. The shortest crop in many years should result in much firmer pricing, which can’t be a bad thing for growers, but it raises the question of what it will mean for consumers, who will almost certainly see a lot more Idared on their supermarket shelves in the coming months. I’ll admit to you here and now – that’s not a prospect I relish.
Meanwhile, older and wiser heads say we’re in for a repeat of the 1991 season. Yet that was so long ago, and the world has changed so much since, that I can’t see it as a case of history repeating. For what it’s worth, my prediction is that we will see many more apple and pear suppliers from the Southern Hemisphere taking a fresh look at Europe over the next few months. The continent’s coldstores are already running low on last season’s crop and will be lower still by the time their new season opens next spring, so you can bet your bottom euro that apple and pear prices here will be the highest in years. While we’re on the subject, I suggest you all keep a close eye on Russia too: after all, it is the world’s largest apple market.
Which brings me to the point I wanted to make, that for me these last few weeks have been a case of citius, altius, fortius, the Olympic motto of ‘faster, higher, stronger’ coined by Baron de Coubertin in 1894 and the metaphorical foundation stone of the Olympics ever since. The French aristocrat also taught us that the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well. The struggle to get into a McDonald’s outlet at the Olympic Park – the world’s largest, seating 1,500 customers at one go – showed that people have taken his invocation to heart, though perhaps not always in the way the baron intended. I too fought bravely, but went in search of a salad instead.
The organisers of London 2012 say they want this year’s Olympic Games to inspire a generation, a cause as noble as De Coubertin’s, and one which now looks primed for success. After all, even though my Olympic ticket got me out of bed early on a Sunday to see two teams of young women fight tooth and nail on the handball court, I returned home to my sofa with a strong desire to take up judo. Finding inspiration to try a new sport seems much like the problem our business faces when trying to convince consumers to eat healthily. Yes, it is about quality, availability and price, but it also needs to be about fun. If people don’t enjoy it, they won’t do it. There is little you can do to convince them otherwise.
A quick search online tells me there is a judo club close to where I live. Becoming a member is simple, sessions are cheap and I can go after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ippon, and pass the fresh vegetables, please. Wish me luck!
By the way, our new office is at 132 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2LB. Come and see us if you’re in town…
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