pimms

The 'Pimms Effect' has helped to boost sales of fresh mint

The 'Pimms effect' of the recent heatwave has resulted in record sales of fresh mint, according to The Fresh Herb Company.

Sales of fresh mint rose 45 per cent in July, over the same period last year, with 1.25 million pots, bunches and packs of fresh mint sold in UK supermarkets. Meanwhile, overall sales of fresh herbs increased by 6.9 per cent during the period, with coriander and basil the two most popular herbs among consumers.

Ann Tenison, marketing manager at The Fresh Herb Company, said that the British public's 'love affair' with Pimms and lemonade has been great news for fresh mint producers.

She said: “We always see an increase in sales of mint during the summer months but the sales levels for July have been the biggest we’ve seen yet.

'We believe overall herb sales have increased this last month due to a wider growing trend for cooking from scratch and because people have been entertaining and having BBQs during the hot weather.”

The Fresh Herb Company - which supplies Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose with fresh herbs - produces over 23 million packs of fresh cut and bunched herbs every year.