Thanks to their exceptional support for produce from Mzansi this year, the UK supermarket group Morrisons has been named Stone Fruit Retailer of the Year for the 2020/21 season.
Each season, the South African producers’ organisation Hortgro presents the award to UK retailers that have demonstrated excellent success and collaboration during the campaign to promote stone fruit from South Africa.
Morrisons saw a considerable increase in peach, nectarine and plum sales this year compared to 2020, with plums seeing the most gain. In February, the company showed its support for the South African campaign by offering plums priority selling position in store, and by installing branded shrouds in 450 stores.
Charlotte Ragdale, stone fruit buying manager at Morrisons, said, “South Africa is our largest sourcing region for the Southern Hemisphere season and as a team, we have focused on selecting the best varieties and growing regions throughout the season.”
Alcohol supply may be strained this festive season
The alcohol industry in South Africa has warned of impending supply shortages in December, despite the fact that it is currently dealing with the consequences of previous lockdown-related sales bans.
According to Lucky Ntimane of the National Liquor Traders Council the industry is experiencing supply chain challenges as a result of a global shortage of glass bottles and shipment delays.
“We [are] worried that, should the supply chain issues – which we understand are beyond liquor manufacturers’ control – not be resolved, it will mean an even bleaker peak trading period for traders who have had to contend with a liquor ban in December 2020 and might now have to brace for stock shortages in December 2021,” he said during an interview with Jacaranda FM.
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