English Supasweet onions are set for a vintage season, according to the band of growers behind the three-year-old brand.
With a score below five rated as mild, tests on this season’s Supasweets yielded readings of between 1.36 and 2.2, making them ideal for sandwiches, salads and salsas, according to the consortium.
David O’Connor, director of the Allium and Brassica Centre, said: “The combination of cold nights and warmer days over the past few weeks has contributed to a reduced level of sulphur compounds. Onion growers used to believe that sweet onions couldn’t be grown in cool climates. The Supasweet has disproved that theory.”
Supasweets are sold by Tesco, M&S, Budgens and Waitrose, with initial sales figures encouraging.
Waitrose reports first-week volume sales of more than 1,000kg, up by 50%-plus on the same period in 2004. The store sold 22 tonnes of Supasweets in 2004 and Waitrose supplier the Moulton Bulb Company hopes to double supplies this year. G’s Marketing has supplied Tesco with Supasweet onions for the past three years and has seen a year-on-year doubling of sales.