Peterborough-based importer AM Fresh picks the fruit for Tesco's UK-wide grapes test

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Hundreds of grape varieties to be tasted

​A Peterborough-based fruit importer is at the heart of a national trial by a supermarket giant to find shoppers’ favourite grapes.

AM Fresh, based at Peterborough Gateway, has been tasked by Tesco to secure many of the hundreds of varieties of grapes that will be trialled in 220 UK stores.

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The fruit will be sold in clearly labelled packaging by one of three main criteria – tropical flavour, candy flavour and crunchiness.

Some of the grapes sourced by Peterborough's AM Fresh, and which have been placed into three categories by Tesco which wants to discover shoppers' favouritesSome of the grapes sourced by Peterborough's AM Fresh, and which have been placed into three categories by Tesco which wants to discover shoppers' favourites
Some of the grapes sourced by Peterborough's AM Fresh, and which have been placed into three categories by Tesco which wants to discover shoppers' favourites

Tesco says this is because early feedback from the Fruitology trials suggests shoppers favour their grapes primarily by crunchy texture, next by tropical flavour and lastly, by candy flavour.

The survey, reckoned to be the largest of its kind in the UK, has been launched because of the huge variety of table grapes that are available.

James Cackett, Tesco’s fruit technical manager, said: “If you ask anyone how many grape varieties there are, most people are likely to tell you three – red, green and black.

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“And that was pretty much the case until the turn of the century when fruit breeders began looking at how to naturally improve flavour, crunchiness and sweetness, which is a wholly natural process, to deliver better quality grapes all round.

“Now with the advance in breeding technology we have the possibility to draw from many hundreds of new grape varieties which will allow us to deliver exactly what our customers want, and that’s the reason why we have set up these trials.

“The trials allow us to better gauge and understand the attributes our shoppers prefer.”

Rachel Botha, head of commercial at AMT Fresh, said: “This project, which we are implementing with Tesco through the Jaffa brand, is the most far-reaching research ever undertaken in the UK to understand British consumers’ table grape eating preferences, redefining the way they are segmented and marketed.

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“We are working with the world’s foremost fruit breeding companies to supply the grapes that British shoppers want to consistently see on supermarket shelves.

"Thanks to advances in technology we now have the ability to do just that.

“The Fruitology project reflects the strengths of our breeding programmes, the commitment of growers eager to explore new possibilities, and Tesco’s openness to pioneering shopper-focussed initiatives.”

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