Supermarket giant offers more than 10 million portions of locally supplied produce
“For the eight veggies of Christmas my Tesco gave to me…”
Tesco stores across Northern Ireland are gearing up for bumper Christmas with more than 10M portions of local produce expected to be snapped up by local shoppers.
According to Tesco around 2.5M potatoes, 6M sprouts, 1.5M carrots, 0.5M parsnips, 60K leeks, 0.5M onions, 20K swedes and 10K red cabbages will fly off the shelves in the run up to the big day.
All the traditional ingredients for this special meal are supplied from across the Province: potatoes come from Wilson’s Country, in Armagh, while leeks are from Roy Little in Strangford, carrots, parsnips, swedes and red cabbages from Gilfresh Produce in Loughgall, onions from Milgro in Limavady and the must-have veggie of the season, brussels sprouts, from both Gilfresh Produce and Andrew Herron’s farm in the Ards Peninsula.
Nigel Doherty, Produce Buying Manager at Tesco NI, said: “We plan to be ahead of last year, and have increased volumes to deliver even greater availability for our customers.”
Tesco NI is offering the exclusive Finest Northern Irish Potatoes for the first time this Christmas. According to Nigel, in the Christmas veggie battle, the humble potato still wins when it comes to tonnage. “We are a country of potato lovers, and whether they are mashed, roasted, dauphinois, or hassleback, Christmas sees demand for potatoes like no other time of year,” he commented.
However, Tesco NI customers have also been keen on modernising other Christmas veg classics. “With new vegetables coming into the scene, more people are choosing recipes that elevate these traditional ingredients, like air-fried sprouts, sprouts glazed with marmalade or even Marmite, parsnips with a miso glaze or carrots cooked in herby butter. It is the perfect mix of tradition and innovation,” Nigel said.
“Customers want to shop local, and we’re proud to champion Northern Ireland’s growers by bringing their produce to tables across the country. Choosing locally supplied veg doesn’t just guarantee great freshness and flavour but also supports the farming families and communities who make our festive traditions possible – and makes every Christmas dinner mean that little bit more.”
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