Berries supplied by Angus Soft Fruits praised for dark colour and rich flavour in well-established quality assessment
AVA Magnum strawberries supplied by Angus Soft Fruits and sold in the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range were named the UK’s best supermarket strawberries in a blind taste test conducted by The Telegraph at the end of June.
Grown in Angus on Scotland’s east coast, the winning berries stood out for their full flavour, deep colour, and clean, juicy finish, impressing judges in a side-by-side assessment against other supermarket’s strawberries.
The review from Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay reads: “Lovely dark colour on most of these mid-sized strawberries, with just a hint of paling at the stem end. A tad too firm at first, but softened after a couple of hours out of the fridge, and the rich flavour means they are good eaten straight from the punnet.”
The product received five stars (out of five), as did three runners up: M&S Collection British Red Diamond Strawberries, Aldi Specially Selected British Grown Strawberries (also AVA Magnum grown by Angus Soft Fruits), and Dyson Farming British Strawberries (Malling Ace).
Angus Soft Fruits MD John Gray said: “We are incredibly proud to see Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference strawberries recognised as the best in the UK in such a respected blind taste test.
“This result is a testament to the dedication of our growers and teams, and to years of focus on breeding and selecting varieties like AVA Magnum that consistently deliver outstanding flavour – not just appearance, but a truly enjoyable eating experience from first bite to finish.”
The supplier added that the recognition “reinforces the growing importance of premium-tier fruit done properly – where flavour, provenance and variety choice combine to deliver a genuinely better eating experience.”
It added: “At a time when consumers are increasingly seeking quality and authenticity, this result demonstrates that supermarket strawberries can deliver restaurant-quality flavour – when the right genetics and growing conditions come together.”
The Telegraph, which has rated and compared various supermarket foods for years, conducts its taste tests blind, with products anonymised before assessment to ensure results are based purely on eating experience, which includes flavour, texture and overall quality.
