Asda celebrates success of local sourcing initiative in Wales

Sales Nearly Double As Customers Get Welsh Spuds By The Sack Load

Sales of Welsh potatoes have increased by 40 per cent this year at ASDA thanks to a new initiative that has seen local potatoes promoted throughout its chain of stores in Wales.

This year as part of a local sourcing drive the supermarket has introduced Pembrokeshire potatoes into all of its 15 stores in Wales, and launched a promotional campaign celebrating home-grown produce. All locally grown produce is now clearly labelled with the Welsh flag and actively promoted in store.

The results of a similar local sourcing trial in Scotland produced equally dramatic results for the supermarket, prompting it to roll out its local produce programme to stores in Wales, Cornwall and Cheshire. Later in the year ASDA hopes to extend the scheme further by introducing local produce ranges in its stores in Kent.

ASDA recently launched its 'Best of Wales' range that saw a 52-week supply of Welsh produce going into all its stores in Wales. Glyn Hughes, produce manager at ASDA said: "Local sourcing makes good business sense. Not only does it mean we can reduce the number of miles food has to travel before it reaches our stores, but it also enables customers to support produce grown in by their local community.

"We have seen dramatic uplifts in sales as more and more customers buy into local produce, which is great news for Welsh farmers."

Martin Cocks, managing director of Puffin Produce, ASDA's sole Welsh potato supplier who are based in Haverfordwest Dyfed, said: "We believe that ASDA's sales growth, and the relationship they have with farmers presents us with the best opportunity to develop our business and that of our growers. This is great news for us and for Welsh farmers in general."

In April ASDA launched a 'Buy Welsh' campaign under the banner: "Good, Honest Value - Celebrating Home-grown Produce", with the aim of increasing sales for its farmer suppliers, whilst educating customers about where their food comes from.

This year the supermarket has already extended the growing season for new, baby and salad potatoes by 10 weeks, and become the only retailer to halt foreign imports of carrots by extending the growing season from 46 weeks of the year to 52. For salad potatoes this means ASDA will sell 1.2 million more 750g packs, for baby and new potatoes it will sell an additional 1.15 million kilos, and 4.5 million extra kilos of British carrots.

The core of ASDA's potato grower base is now on transparent contracts. This gives growers the confidence and financial stability they need to invest in their businesses, plan more effectively and deliver the consistent supply of quality produce ASDA's customers demand.