Sainsbury’s Signs 10-Year Grower Deals To Extend British Salad Supply

Sainsbury’s has inked two 10-year supply agreements with UK growers Evesham Vale Growers and Thanet Earth as part of a strategy to increase the availability of British-grown tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, while strengthening resilience across its salad vegetable supply chain.

Image: Sainsbury's

The retailer said the long-term partnerships are designed to support investment in domestic production at a time when climate-related disruption is increasing pressure on imported supplies, particularly during the winter months.

The move underlines the need for supermarkets to think differently about how they build more resilient supply chains, particularly for product categories that are being impacted increasingly by weather-based shocks.

Year-Round Cucumbers

A key element of the agreements with Sainsbury’s is a commitment to extend the availability of British cucumbers beyond the traditional summer season. 

The new extended partnership with Thanet Earth, will enable Sainsbury’s  to sell British cucumbers through the winter months for the first time.

As a result, the retailer expects to increase the volume of British whole cucumbers on its shelves by up to 60% this winter, and reduce reliance on imported product during a period when the category has historically depended on overseas supply.

The cucumbers will be grown at Thanet Earth’s glasshouse complex in Kent, where supplementary lighting, heating, and CO₂ systems enable year-round production. 

Sainsbury’s said the long-term contract has provided the certainty needed for Thanet Earth to invest in the infrastructure required for commercial winter cucumber production. 

“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,” explained Hannah O'Reilly, Category Director of Produce at Sainsbury’s. 

“Investing in more British production and supporting our suppliers to innovate is helping us build a stronger, more resilient supply chain in a category that has been impacted by weather-based shocks in recent years.”

Rob James, Technical Director at Thanet Earth, agreed that the agreement now enables the business to plan for longer-term investment.

“Working with Sainsbury’s in this way means we can plan ahead with more certainty and keep pushing what’s possible for British growing,” James said. 

“A good example is our investment in the technology needed to grow cucumbers through the winter, creating the right conditions for the crop and helping bring more British-grown produce to customers at a time of year when that has not previously been possible.”

Tomatoes & Peppers

Image: Sainsbury's

Alongside cucumbers, the agreements also cover British tomatoes and peppers. 

Evesham Vale Growers will continue supplying tomatoes under a new decade-long agreement aimed at supporting future investment and extending seasonal availability.

According to Sainsbury’s, demand for premium tomatoes continues to grow. 

The retailer said its Taste the Difference tomato range generated more than £120 million in sales last year and represented more than 65% of its total tomato sales. 

It also reported its strongest tomato sales to date during this year’s British Tomato Fortnight campaign.

Paul Faulkner, Director at Evesham Vale Growers, said long-term commitments provide growers with greater confidence to invest in production capacity.

“Our long-standing partnership with Sainsbury’s is built on a shared commitment of growing and delivering great-quality tomatoes for its customers,” he explained. 

“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.”

Sainsbury’s said its new agreements are among the longest supply contracts in the sector, and form part of its wider commitment to invest more than £5 billion through long-term agreements with over 2,400 British and Irish farms.

Summer Salad Box Launch

The first products linked to the two new partnerships are expected to reach stores this summer with the launch of a limited-edition Taste the Difference British Salad Selection (800g) Box.

Describing the product as a ‘first-to-market’, Sainsbury’s said its pack of three British salad favourites is supported by more than 17 years of partnership with growers in Kent. 

The premium pack combines carefully selected British-grown Taste the Difference Tomatoes, Pointed Peppers, and a Midi Cucumber.

The ‘best of summer’ pack offers customers a convenient way to enjoy a selection of three British-grown salad favourites in one pack, according to Sainsbury's.

“The British growing season produces some fantastic salad ingredients and we're delighted to bring together a selection of customer favourites in our new Taste the Difference Salad Selection Box,” enthused O’Reilly at Sainsbury’s. 

“Made possible through our long-term relationships with British growers, it offers a convenient way to enjoy a selection of seasonal salad staples while delivering great value. It’s a celebration of the quality and variety of produce grown across the UK this summer.”

Available for a limited six-week period in selected stores and online nationwide, the Salad Box is priced at £5; offering customers on average a 24% saving compared with buying the products separately.