Members of the 25 strong Mid Kent Growers, neighbouring producers and associates, together with colleagues from Norman Collett, shared information on Tesco's promotional plans for the coming season during its annual farm walk held at A R Neaves & Sons in Kent last Friday.
"We are looking forward positively to the start of the season and have ambitious plans to grow sales and market share for English apples and pears," said Martin de la Fuente, senior buying manager. He also revealed that due to he success of its Heritage label supporting traditional varieties, this will now be rolled out beyond the UK.
Nearer home there was plenty of evidence of heavy apple for host Bryan Neaves to show the 100 or so guests. In some cases fruit is so thick on the tree that a second thinning is taking place.
Neaves, which has achieved the Tesco Gold standard, represents some 480 acres through a combination of Little Sharsted Farm and a handling agreement covering other farms' fruit crops within a ten mile radius. This also includes cherries, plums and berry fruit.
The main apple varieties are Cox, averaging 5,000 bins; Gala (1,000 bins); Bramley (500 bins); Braeburn (300 bins); Golden Delicious (150 bins) and 420 bins of other varieties.
While yet to reach commercial maturity the farm also has the largest orchards of Rubens planted on trellises this year - the latest trade marked variety licensed to Norman Collett.
Also looking promising are trials with Modi, which is similar in appearance to Empire. Both are the most recent examples of the company's forward planning strategy which has created a continuous 15 year orchard replacement cycle.
Apart from supplying multiples and the wholesale markets, the company established by Bryan's late father Archie in 1940, is developing sales to local restaurants, shops and caterers capturing a niche market for local fruit.
It is also a key provider and packer of apples for the Fruit for Schools programme.
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