Consumers Set To Eat Fresh British-Grown Strawberries At Christmas

In a significant development for the British soft fruit sector, The Summer Berry Company has ramped up production to supply fresh British strawberries year-round, meaning consumers could be picking up home-grown berries this Christmas.

Image courtesy of The Summer Berry Company

Traditionally, the UK strawberry season would taper off in late autumn, with retailer shelves restocked by imports from countries such as Egypt or Jordan between November and March.

However, The Summer Berry Company has deployed advanced greenhouse technology — including 2,600 LED units complemented by renewable heat and power generation — to replicate spring-like conditions indoors.

Their combined heat and power (CHP) system burns gas to generate electricity, which powers the LED lighting and heats the greenhouses to between 18°C and 22°C during winter months.

Supply Chain & Environmental Implications

By cultivating strawberries throughout the year, the company is able to reduce reliance on overseas imports and associated food miles. In the 2025-26 season, they are targeting just over 400 tonnes of winter production — roughly double the volume grown previously in the off-season.

Their growing area has also expanded from 1.8 hectares to 3.6 hectares.

Varieties & Market Reach

The firm is cultivating several strawberry varieties — including Malling Ace, Karima, Favori, Florice, Limore One and Fandango. Notably, the Fandango variety was recently awarded a three-star Superior Taste Award by an international panel of chefs and sommeliers.

Retailers stocking the British-grown strawberries will include Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Morrisons.

Impacts on Employment & Industry

The shift to continuous year-round production is also strengthening local employment: the Chichester glasshouse now provides full-time rather than purely seasonal work for around 20 harvest workers, 15 husbandry staff, five pack-house workers, a student, and an agronomy and management team of ten.

Industry observers regard this move as a major shift for UK soft fruit production, potentially improving fruit quality compared with winter imports and offering a more stable industry structure.

Looking Ahead

For UK retailers and consumers, the prospect of enjoying fresh, home-grown British strawberries over the festive season marks a notable change. With expanded production and a year-round growing strategy,

The Summer Berry Company is positioning British strawberries to take their place on British tables during Christmas — a period long dominated by imported fruit.