It’s the time of the year when things really get exciting on the shelves, as the soft-fruit and stonefruit campaigns begin to build momentum, and salad buyers and their category managers are keeping a perpetual eye on the weather forecast - particularly as the weekends approach.

So far, there are plentiful supplies of English strawberries on the shelves, with Marks & Spencer proclaiming that “all home- grown strawberries are labelled with the grower’s name, so you know who grew them”. What a far cry from the days when the identity of suppliers was regarded as a secret.

Despite the domestic focus, I note that the US is still able to get under the net, with Driscoll San Juan variety King Berries arriving from across the Atlantic, priced at £4.99 for 600g.

There has also been a noticeable build-up as the UK raspberry season gets underway, with some trumpeted offers at Tesco. M&S nevertheless is shipping in golden raspberries from Belgium - another Driscoll variety called Estrella, priced at £2.99 for 100g.

Cherries are already in full flood from a wide range of sources. While the US is usually identified with Bing, a lesser seen type is Tulare, spotted at M&S at £2.99 for 300g. And fruit from Italy - once a major UK source - has also started arriving at Tesco. Ferrovia at £3.99 for 300g was displayed alongside other sources, at £3.99 for 400g.

The southern-hemisphere apple season is also in full swing and, just like their European counterparts, New Zealand growers are coming up with additional commercial varieties. M&S is offering a four-tray pack of Sonya for £2.49, while Tesco has plumped for Jasmine at £1.69 for the same presentation in its Finest range.

There are, of course, other potential sales opportunities during the summer - namely barbecues. As the use of herbs becomes more widespread, Sainsbury’s has taken the chance to offer customers a mixed pack, containing parsley, lemon thyme, bay leaves, oregano and garlic from a range of sources.

Roasted vegetables are also part of the barbecue menu and, at M&S, squash has received a makeover, with a prepared mixed pack ready for roasting and garnished with fresh rosemary at £1.99 for 240g.

Apart from bangers and chops, the centre piece of patio gastronomy is salad, and Tesco has two new lines, including a Crunchy Cherry Tomato salad at £1.50 for 210g. What makes it different, apart from the named product, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and mixed peppers, is the addition of red onions and a French-style vinaigrette. A more unusual alternative is an organic salad at £1.50 for 90g, described as “Continental”. It features spinach, chicory and baby green leaves.

Mixed tomato varieties and colours are not new, although Sainsbury’s in its Taste the Difference range has added a 250g sub-brand grown in Yorkshire, calling the combination sweet, yellow and red cherry British Aurora.

Whatever the choice of the customer, it is fairly clear that everyone is just hoping the sun will shine!

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