Sainsbury’s will stock more UK grown tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. The move comes as a way to bet against global supply chain pressures. The supermarket giant has signed a 10-year partnership agreement with suppliers Evesham Vale Growers and Thanet Earth.
The supermarket’s decision was led by the increase in warmer weather which has prompted it to “think differently.” In July, The Times reported that the retail giant had sent a cucumber shortage warning to its customers. Extreme heat had hit growers in Spain and Morocco, leading the supermarket to inform customers of the impact on the vegetable.
British food production is also suffering at the hands of dry weather, reports The Grocer.
Sainsbury’s category director of produce Hannah O’Reilly, said: “With our changing weather, it’s more important than ever to find new, innovative solutions to make sure our customers can continue to enjoy the quality produce they want all year-round.”
She added: “By giving our brilliant British growers the certainty to invest and innovate through long-term contracts such as these with Thanet Earth and Evesham Vale Growers will help us to continue to support British farming for years to come.”
Evesham Vale Growers director Paul Faulkner said: “Having the confidence and certainty that comes with a long-term agreement allows us to look ahead to the future and invest in our business, build on the number of British grown tomatoes already on Sainsbury’s shelves, extend availability and ensure customers can enjoy more British-grown produce.”
The Retail Times reports that the new agreements are among the longest in the industry and are designed to give British growers the certainty they need to invest for the long term, at a time when the sector is facing rising costs, climate volatility and growing pressure on supply.
It says the agreements form part of Sainsbury’s wider commitment to investing in long-term deals with thousands of British and Irish farms, providing growers with the confidence to invest for the future.