Products arrive in 80 stores despite one of the wettest planting seasons on record
M&S has claimed victory in the race to stock the first new-season Jersey Royal potatoes, thanks to its longstanding relationship with the Le Maistre family.
The family has been farming the soil on Jersey since 1841 and is led by sixth-generation farmer Philip Le Maistre, who works alongside son Phil Jnr and brother Peter, as well as a team of local experts.
The Le Maistre farm is part of M&S’ Plan A Farming for the Future programme and the family are LEAF Marque certified growers.
Despite one of the wettest and more challenging planting seasons on record, the farm’s potatoes have this week hit the shelves across 80 M&S stores in the UK.
The retailer noted that customers can also find the Jersey Royals in M&S stores across the island, including its King St in St Helier, St Brelade, St Clement, St John, St Peter and St Martin stores.
The Le Maistre family is one of eight growers M&S is working with across Jersey this season, spanning 2,500 fields. The retailer said it has a dedicated team on-site on the island to ensure customers experience exceptional flavour and quality, noting that every field is sampled and only packed for M&S if it passes a rigorous taste panel test.
M&S uses a unique hydro-cooling process to chill the potatoes within hours of being harvested, which it explains locks in freshness and ensures each potato reaches stores in peak condition.
Philip Le Maistre Jnr said: “It’s a real tradition for us to get the first harvest of the season onto M&S shelves. While my dad, uncle and I have never seen a planting season with such continuous rain, we’ve taken great care, planting more by hand and using the same traditional methods my great-grandfather did, to ensure the potatoes get the best possible start.
”Our team works incredibly hard to deliver the very best taste, and we’re proud that families across the UK will be able to enjoy a product that is as fresh as it can possibly be.”
