The Irish public’s appetite for luscious red strawberries would seem to be insatiable as new Kantar World Panel figures reveal that we spent close to €96m on these delectable berries. This was brought about by a 5% increase in strawberry sales across last year when compared to the previous year. These figures represent a monster 10.5 thousand tonnes of strawberries sold directly into Irish households and don’t include the volumes consumed outside the home, on-the-go, in hotels, restaurants and through caterers. Released figures support the sector’s move from celebrating a traditional National Strawberry Week to generating excitement around strawberries throughout the entire Irish growing season (May to November). The campaign’s promotional activities kicked off with many strawberry related initiatives taking place either side of the June bank holiday weekend.
Celebrate Strawberry Season, in association with the Irish Soft Fruit Growers Association, and with support from Bord Bia and the IFA, aims to encourage the public to enjoy more strawberries throughout the whole Irish season. The celebration is supported by a public information campaign which includes innovative ways of including strawberries at all meal times throughout the day. The campaign uses TV, radio and social media channels to increase consumer knowledge and raise awareness of the Irish strawberries season, with competitions, primary school activities and an interactive website featuring delicious seasonal recipe suggestions. Keep an eye out for Celebrate Strawberry Season promotional packs in stores near you and visit www.bestinseason.ie for more specially created strawberry themed recipes. ✽
