Four years ago, Kent fruit grower Adrian Scripps switched from supplying several retailers with its apples and pears to being totally dedicated to Tesco.
Instead of being a risk, it has brought benefits, says MD James Simpson, who argues that sole supplier status is “a lot simpler”. “We took the view our business was of such a size that we needed to ensure everything was disciplined, and cost-effective.
“Focusing on one customer has been very beneficial.”
The company is now the largest pear grower in Europe and one of the largest growers of Royal Gala, Braeburn and Bramley apples in the UK, with 400ha of top fruit yielding 10,000 tonnes annually. And it is able to provide Tesco with exclusive stocks of unique new UK-grown apple varieties Greenstar and Kanzi as it bids to broaden apple consumption with sweeter-tasting fruit. Two new pear varieties and some early season apple varieties are also in development.
The family company was founded in 1960 by Adrian Scripps, whose son Richard is now chairman. Output is set to rise by 2010 to just under 17,000 tonnes, made possible by the development of new varieties that are high-yielding and consistent in quality.
And what the company won’t be doing is blaming Tesco for low returns. “It is wrong for producers to point their finger at their retailer for not giving them enough money,” said Simpson. “It’s not down to the retailer to subsidise poor growing. We don’t work like that. We believe that we should be growing as much fruit of the best quality we can, and then working with our retailer to maximise the returns to us. That’s the philosophy that most growers need to have.”
Instead of being a risk, it has brought benefits, says MD James Simpson, who argues that sole supplier status is “a lot simpler”. “We took the view our business was of such a size that we needed to ensure everything was disciplined, and cost-effective.
“Focusing on one customer has been very beneficial.”
The company is now the largest pear grower in Europe and one of the largest growers of Royal Gala, Braeburn and Bramley apples in the UK, with 400ha of top fruit yielding 10,000 tonnes annually. And it is able to provide Tesco with exclusive stocks of unique new UK-grown apple varieties Greenstar and Kanzi as it bids to broaden apple consumption with sweeter-tasting fruit. Two new pear varieties and some early season apple varieties are also in development.
The family company was founded in 1960 by Adrian Scripps, whose son Richard is now chairman. Output is set to rise by 2010 to just under 17,000 tonnes, made possible by the development of new varieties that are high-yielding and consistent in quality.
And what the company won’t be doing is blaming Tesco for low returns. “It is wrong for producers to point their finger at their retailer for not giving them enough money,” said Simpson. “It’s not down to the retailer to subsidise poor growing. We don’t work like that. We believe that we should be growing as much fruit of the best quality we can, and then working with our retailer to maximise the returns to us. That’s the philosophy that most growers need to have.”
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