Aldi has announced that British-grown plums are now available in more than 1,000 stores across the UK, with the change taking effect from Thursday. The supermarket promises "an exceptionally sweet, high-quality crop" for shoppers nationwide.
Exceptional season for plums
Aldi's award-winning British plum grower, WB Chambers Farms, attributed the quality to high sunshine levels last autumn, record spring sunshine, a cool start to May, and a warm June. These conditions have combined to produce exceptionally sweet, flavoursome fruit with outstanding quality.
The discount retailer expects to sell up to 700,000 units of British plums this season, with the fruit available in stores until early September.
Commitment to British produce
Aldi recently confirmed its commitment to increase long-term agreements with UK produce and horticulture suppliers. The supermarket aims to secure at least 50% of its domestic produce through long-term partnerships by the end of 2027.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "This is shaping up to be one of the best British plum seasons we've seen for a number of years. Working closely with British growers means we can bring exceptional seasonal produce into stores as soon as it's ready, so shoppers can enjoy British plums at their very best while supporting UK farming."
George Beedell, Head of Business Development at WB Chambers Farms, Aldi’s British plum supplier, said: “This has been an exceptional season for British plums – the combination of sunshine, cooler growing conditions and a warm finish has created fruit with outstanding sweetness, quality and appearance. It’s one of those years where everything has come together, and we think shoppers will really notice the difference when they taste this year’s plums."
Other fruit news and Aldi's growth
Aldi also recently confirmed that shoppers can look forward to "sweeter" and "bigger" raspberries on shelves this summer, as the supermarket prepares to stock 100% British-grown fruit ahead of the British raspberry season.
Aldi has grown in popularity in the UK and recently overtook Morrisons in market share rankings to become the fifth-largest supermarket in the UK. The German retailer, which has around 1,080 stores across the UK, has ambitious expansion goals, with plans to open in several new locations.
