The humble spud has always lacked the more exciting qualities of many lines of fresh produce, but there appears to be a resurgence in interest by the multiples beyond the news last week of a new purple variety.

And at the coal face in store, there are other signs that things are happening. Tesco has launched a new twin pack of bakers for £1, alongside the arrival in the same category of a variety called Bluebell at £1.50 to £2.

In some cases, the development of a sub-brand means that purists have to look harder to see exactly what the pack contains. Marks & Spencer has a registered trademarked sub-brand called Season’s Gold, which covers Annabelle grown in Lincolnshire, and Aura from Norfolk, at two for £3/1.5kg.

The same dual labelling aspect has been hit on by Sainsbury’s, which in the surge to promote its Taste The Difference range, has applied this culture to tomatoes. Backed by in-store tastings of the baby cherry type, they are in the Vittoria range priced at £1.99 for 270g. In fact, the variety grown is Piccolo.

Mushrooms are presented in all shapes and sizes. Now Tesco has taken this a stage further with a branded Irish 260g pack for £1.49, grown by Monaghan’s and endorsed by chef Paul Rankin. What is new is it includes a spicy tomato and herb sauce, infused with paprika, peppers, oregano and thyme.

Several years ago, a leading buyer prophesied that pomegranates would never become a main fruit line. This may still be true, but the fruit appears regularly from a variety of sources as well as in de-seeded form, encouraging suppliers from India and the USA. Most fruit is sold singly, but Morrisons is offering four in an overwrapped tray for £1. In this instance, they come from Spain.

And finally, a word of praise for farm shops, which in many cases have taken over the role from the sadly depleted number of independent greengrocers. Deliveries may still come from the wholesale markets, but the range sold is often inspired.

I was even able to buy a single netted pomelo for £2.29. Unusually, the source was Vietnam.

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