In the first weeks of October, Tesco ran a national television advertising campaign for its new heritage packs of apples. A Kent orchard, with old fashioned standard trees was featured in the film along with all the elements that people remember as a traditional picture of English fruit - people picking from ladders, into wicker baskets with grass under the trees. "It was a very beautiful image of a very traditional English orchard," said Sarah Calcutt, technical manager at Norman Collett Ltd. The Paddock Wood based marketing company provided support for the campaign by joining Worldwide Fruit in supplying older English apple varieties to Tesco stores across the country.
"The purpose of the campaign was to convey the idea that an apple does not have to look perfect to taste really good," said Andy Sadler, Norman Collett's managing director. "An apple can be knobbly and have a blemish here and there - but still be popular with consumers and have character. Excellent apples aren't all about looks: emotion and flavour comes into it as well."
Heritage fruit at Norman Collett's Paddock Wood distribution depot.
Heritage fruit is old fashioned apple varieties, those that have been around for at least the last 50 years; the few trees currently in production have been in the ground for between 20 and 30 years: not many have been grown, but consumers are interested in the varieties. "Over the years, the tree’s production diminishes and they are now reaching an age where they are not bearing the same volume of fruit," said Mr Sadler. "A good way to maintain a low level of these much loved old varieties is to use them as pollinators in a modern orchard."
Heritage pack varieties include Lord Lambourne, Laxton Superb, Chivers Delight, Worcester, Spartan and Charles Ross. There are only a few Kent growers producing these varieties which are marketed through Norman Collett Ltd. "We have always made them available," Mr Sadler continued, "in the past they have been sold as a traditional variety, but the development of the heritage pack has meant greater promotion."
From early October onwards, Tesco's heritage packs could be found in stores across the Country. The bags were decorated with a photograph of Jane Garrett, the director of Brogdale Horticultural Trust, pictured in one of the trust’s orchards. The bags were designed in collaboration with the Trust, which has many different apple varieties without necessarily having great quantities of any single variety. Tesco is committed to supporting Brogdale, and the heritage packs seemed to be one excellent way of informing the public of the lesser known varieties still being grown.
"The demand has been good and there has been a lot of interest from the customers, many of whom have found varieties not tasted since childhood." Mr Sadler concluded “We are hopeful that this line will continue, old varieties and their availability to the consumer is an emotive issue, we think that customers have been pleased to see the development of this line in Tesco’s range of English fruit.” |
