Tesco named South African Stone Fruit Retailer of the Year 

UK retailer Tesco has been recognised by the South African stone fruit sector for its strong performance and promotional support during the 2019-20 season. South African growers’ association Hortgro presents the Stone Fruit Retailer of the Year prize to a UK supermarket each year. According to a statement by Hortgro, Tesco saw a noticeable increase in sales this season, with the retailer selling over three million kilos of South African stone fruit across its stores, with nectarines faring particularly well.

The retailer organised a range of activities during the campaign, including online promotions, competitions in its staff magazine, and sampling at its head office, featuring South African Supersweet nectarines and peaches, and the ever-popular Flavorking plum variety.

Oliver Bruton, assistant buyer of fresh produce at Tesco, said,

“Stone fruit is popular with our customers and we continuously strive to offer high quality produce. South Africa is our biggest sourcing region in the Southern Hemisphere and is an important country in helping us to deliver this. Within our stone fruit range nectarines and peaches remain consistently popular, with Supersweet plums also performing well. South Africa is a strong growing region. We work closely with suppliers in the region to plan effectively, and in the face of some challenges it is still able to deliver quality produce. Whether it’s through our own-label Suntrail range or our premium Tesco Supersweet brand, we aim to provide a strong range of stone fruit to suit all budgets.”