Produce World
Produce World has produced and launched a new Chinese sweet sprouting cauliflower into select Waitrose stores
New sweet sprouting cauliflower has been launched into limited numbers of Waitrose stores through vegetable supplier Produce World.
The brassica, which is native to China, can be eaten raw or cooked, and is sweeter than a traditional cauliflower. It has long stems and small, white heads, described as “less intimidating” to younger consumers.
“Sweet Sprouting Cauliflower has been popular in China for a long time and it has a number of characteristics which we believe will appeal to British consumers of all ages,” said Waitrose buyer Gemma Hodgson.
“We know that people are under time pressure, and preparation and cooking times are getting shorter. This product can be eaten raw in salads, used in stir-fries, steamed, roasted or barbequed and it’s ready in a matter of minutes. We also think that the sweet taste and crunchy texture will appeal to children and adults alike.”
Frank Robinson, Produce World sales and marketing director, said: “This is a healthy and very exciting innovation, and will be a new way to enjoy cauliflower for a younger generation. It is not as intimidating as traditional cauliflower in terms of size. It is available in manageable one meal portion sizes, targeting premium meal occasions.”
The news comes as Produce World launched purple carrots into Waitrose last week, in partnership with fellow vegetable supplier Huntapac.
Staff really supported and got behind the Sue Ryder Hospice at Thorpe Hall in Peterborough by helping to clear the site’s garden
Veg giant Produce World has raised £1,4k to help fund a new hospice.
Not only that, but Produce World Group staff, family and friends also got behind the Sue Ryder Hospice at Thorpe Hall in Peterborough by spending a day helping to clear the site’s walled kitchen garden.
Thorpe’s Hall’s historic walled garden had fallen into disrepair, but the hospice now has ambitious plans to start growing vegetables again and create a children’s play area. Staff, family and friends from Produce World spent one of the hottest days of the year earlier this week (w/c 29 June) clearing the ground for the new project.
Rachel Ilgunas, from Produce World, said: “The volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty, working well into the evening to finish clearing this area. We have been supporting Thorpe Hall throughout the year, and we were delighted to be able to make a substantial contribution in time and money to the fantastic work that they do.”
Hospice fundraiser Nilesh Patel, said: “I have to say a big thank you to all the volunteers from Produce World who have really made a big difference to our project to restore the walled kitchen garden to its former glory. We are most grateful for the £1,400 donated and for all the support we have received from the Produce World Group.”
The cheque was handed over by Produce World’s group financial director Phil Jones.
Vegetable giant buys out Swinderby site as part of plan to “develop and grow a sustainable fresh produce business”
Produce World has completed its purchase of Fenmarc’s roots division.
As reported in FPJ earlier this week, Fenmarc’s roots division was moved into a new company, Swinderby Produce, ahead of the sale.
Neil Fraser, executive chairman at Produce World Group, said: “We are delighted to be making this announcement and are confident that this move will further strengthen Produce World’s position in the market, firmly establishing it as the UK’s leading grower and supplier of root vegetables.
“We already have considerable experience in the roots market, both at our conventional site at Isleham and our specialist organic site at Yaxley.”
“We are looking forward to working with our new colleagues. As ever the main focus will be on continuing to provide excellent service for all our customers.”
Vegetable specialist Produce World said the acquisition formed part of its continuous and ongoing plan to develop and grow a “sustainable fresh produce business which will best serve the needs of its customers, suppliers, employees and shareholders.”
Fenmarc’s owner, Mark Harrod, said: “We conducted a strategic review and decided to sell the roots business. We have developed our conversations with Produce World on an exclusive basis. It’s a great fit with their business.
“We are working together to make the handover as smooth as possible from everyone’s point of view, and to continue to meet the needs of customers. I would like to extend my thanks to the team at Swinderby for their hard work over many years and wish them all well for the future.”
Vegetable giant set to acquire Fenmarc’s roots site, with the deal expected to complete this week
Produce World is on the verge of acquiring Fenmarc’s roots division, FPJ can reveal.
Staff at Fenmarc’s roots site at Swinderby were told last week that they would be transferring to a new company, “Swinderby Produce”, ahead of a proposed acquisition by Produce World Group.
A spokesman for Produce World confirmed that the deal is currently being finalised and is subject to contract.
Richard Anderson, managing director at Fenmarc, told FPJ: “Fenmarc Produce is currently in exclusive discussions with Produce World Group for the sale of shares, subject to contract, in the Swinderby root business.
“We anticipate that this sale will be concluded by the end of October 2014. Before the sale of the shares the business, including all of its assets, will be transferred into a subsidiary of Fenmarc Produce, which will be called Swinderby Produce.”
FPJ understands the name Swinderby Produce is just a temporary measure while the sale completes, and the site could be re-named along the same lines as other Produce World divisions once the purchase is finalised.
After Produce World bought out Marshalls, it renamed it Produce World Butterwick, with other divisions also named after the sites’ locations.
Produce World has been active on the acquisition trail in recent times, buying up Scottish root veg specialist This Is Organic (TIO) in July and indicating further activity was on the cards.
Earlier this month it also tied up a strategic alliance with Lincolnshire Field Products for brassica supply.
Vegetable supplier forms ‘strategic alliance’ with Lincolnshire Field Products to secure land bank for brassicas
Vegetable giant Produce World has joined with Lincolnshire Field Products (LFP) to form one of its largest growing partners for brassicas for the 2015 harvest.
The company will now work in partnership with LFP and a number of existing key growers.
“The Produce World Group is a growing business with ambitious plans over the next five years. We are reviewing our strategies across the Group including procurement,” said procurement director, Jon Campbell. “In this sector there was an opportunity to work with LFP, which is one of the country’s leading brassica growers. We are delighted to add its experience and expertise to that of our other key growers.”
Campbell said it is “critical” to secure a land bank for brassicas, which is facing tough competition from other crops in terms of pressure on land and consolidation in the industry.
“We feel this is an important move for the future of brassica growing in Lincolnshire, and will best meet the needs of our customers in the future.
“LFP are at the cutting-edge of agronomy in this sector. Their considerable experience and expertise enables them to deliver the brassica crop in an accurate and timely manner,” he said.
Martin Tate, commercial director for LFP, said: “We are looking forward to working closely with the team at Produce World and meeting the needs of its customers in 2015. We feel that there are considerable synergies between our two organisations, particularly as Produce World is a company with farming at its heart.”
Produce World also grows potatoes and onions through its farming division Burgess Farms, as well as through partnerships with grower groups including Taylor Grown, Tompsett Burgess Growers and Greenshoots.
In July the company bought Scottish root vegetable specialists This is Organics (TIO) for an undisclosed sum, which it said would secure the future of organic land and expertise of Scottish growers.
USA set to celebrate the vegetable this week, while sales of kale are up 79% year on year in the UK
Produce World’s Andrew Burgess has called for a National Kale Day to be established in the UK.
Figures show that kale sales are up by 79% year on year in major UK multiples, which has led the firm’s agriculture director to make the claim.
The USA is celebrating National Kale Day this Wednesday (1 October), with the superfood being presented in all its glory at an event that celebrates eating, growing and sharing kale throughout the USA.
Burgess said: “In recent years kale has boomed; not just in America but also in the UK. I think that having a National Kale Day is a fantastic initiative and should become a permanent fixture in the UK calendar too.
“It’s a great opportunity to not only try out new varieties, but learn about the different ways people grow the vegetable and find out what they like about the current varieties already in shops”.
The Produce World Group has been trying out new varieties in its trial fields this year, including coloured kale, baby kale and kale sprouts. This work has seen the UK’s leading grower and supplier of fresh vegetables into retail produce pink and white varieties, as well as kale sprouts, which look like small green and purple flowers.
Currently there are around 50 different varieties of kale, and since the vegetable was first cultivated 6,000 years ago, it has grown quite a fan base – the likes of Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Katy Perry are all said to be avid kale lovers.
This year’s National Kale Day in the USA, which is the second of its kind, will see an array of events to promote the veg, including kale being served to around 1.1 million children across New York state schools.
Burgess added: “If we could bring National Kale Day to the UK, it would not only raise the profile of the vegetable further but encourage people to get excited about all that is kale”.