As Wimbledon spectators prepare to consume approximately 2.5mn strawberries during this year’s championships, the British berry industry is developing new varieties that could last up to seven days post-harvest, compared with the current three or four days
Perfect, heart-shaped strawberries are a long-standing tradition at the Wimbledon tennis championships, and it’s the Malling Centenary variety – picked and delivered from down the road at Hugh Lowe Farms – which always proves a smash with spectators during the two-week event.
But according to a Reuters news report, that flagship variety could one day be replaced as the British berry industry continues to develop strawberries with even longer shelf-life and lasting quality.
“There’s a new generation of varieties we’re bringing to the market,” Jack Darnes, commercial director at The Summer Berry Company, told the news agency. “With Malling Centenary three or four days later they’re still okay, with the new varieties you can survive even longer – six to seven days. So it’s reducing waste, it’s a better product for the end consumer.”
He added: “We hope one day there’s going to be a new summer berry variety that people at Wimbledon are going to be consuming even better than Malling Centenary.”
The UK has an abundance of strawberries to consume this season after an extended period of sunny weather.
According to Joe Furber, operations manager at Wimbledon, visitors to the tennis tournament are set to eat around 2.5mn strawberries, equal to around 5,000 tonnes.
That’s despite them costing £2.70 for ten with cream – 20p more than a price that had stayed the same since 2010.
