ALAN FIRMIN TAKES TOP TESCO AWARD


English fruit grower Alan Firmin Ltd has scooped top prize as the overall best of Tesco's apple and pear growers at its prestigious awards conference held  in Kent this week.

It was presented to fruit manager Brian Tompsett, who joined AF in 1999, bringing 33 years experience in fruit growing. Brian already has a string of successes won at the   Marden - and later renamed National Fruit Show  - regarded as the showcase for excellence by the whole industry. He is also a  director of Mid Kent Growers.

Last season's fruit was marketed by Norman Collett Ltd, one of Tesco's four dedicated   suppliers, alongside Empire World Trade, Worldwide Fruit and Richard Hochfeld. Judging is based on a detailed points scoring criteria .

It includes not just quality grade out in terms of colour and pressure specifications, but the use of technology to maximise quality from planting through to packhouse, and commitment through investment to the future.

It is the job of the packhouses to nominate growers from one of two categories . These are under and over 14 hectares. Additionally the technical and commercial teams for each desk nominate one grower/packer each.

The entrants were judged by Martin de la Fuente, Tesco's senior fruit buyer and John Worth technical manager.  Alan Firmin won the over 14 hectares category allowing it to go forward for the ultimate prize, competing against Adrian Scripps Ltd awarded the grower/packer prize, and Andrew Nicholas, winner  in the under 14 hectare class.

Alan Firmin grows fruit on three sites in Kent with its headquarters at Linton. With expertise stretching back to 1944, it currently has 75 hectares in production, balanced between Cox (33 percent); Bramley (30 percent); Conference (16 percent); Egremont Russett and Braeburn (10 percent each).

Over the last three years it has invested £35,000 in new Braeburn, Gala, Cameo and Conference orchards, and continues to conduct variety trials on its three farm sites. In partnership trials with Norman Collett, BASF, and Bayer Crop Science these ongoing results provide valuable information  for the whole industry.

Awarded Tesco's Gold Standard and having achieved 100 percent within the Assured produce scheme, it was one of the first in the UK to invest in ethylene scrubbed storage, and has successfully used Smartfresh eliminating drenching.

Grade out has been as high as 90 percent, while another key factor has been the development of staff training programmes.