Meurig Raymond (NFU President) presents the award to Simon Hinks (Sainsbury’s) with Tracey Dunn (Hortipak) and Simon Davenport (BPOA)
The supermarket has been recognised because they promoted and sold only British poinsettia’s last year. They have also invested in heated transport specifically for the poinsettia crop in order to sell British product at its best.
NFU President Meurig Raymond said that he was pleased to see the cooperation between British growers and supermarkets in promoting the best in Home Grown produce.
Accepting the award, Simon Hinks from Sainsbury's said that they were delighted to see their policy vindicated in sourcing British grown plants for their poinsettia sales. It was gratifying to receive the recognition of growers for Sainsbury’s contribution to the development of domestic plant production. He commented how it makes sense for them to source high quality plants where they can maintain close contact with the growers and benefit from a robust supply chain. Sainsbury’s was the only supermarket or multiple retailer offering solely British grown poinsettias to consumers last year.
The Home Grown initiative has arisen from a nucleus of interested growers who wished to promote their products as Home Grown and to differentiate them from imported produce giving consumers more choice and the possibility to obtain locally produced plants.
The initiative was developed by the British Protected Ornamentals Association (BPOA), National Farmers Union, South East England Development Agency and the Horticultural Development Council.
The following criteria were used to judge the Home Grown British Poinsettia Retailer 2013 award:
• The percentage of British grown product within total volume sold
• The extent of marketing support of British grown product
• Investment in supporting the British poinsettia industry
All major supermarket and multiple retailers of poinsettia were considered.