Sales of fresh sweetcorn have rocketed in the UK as the hot summer has delivered a bumper harvest and strong demand for the barbecue favourite.
Barfoots, the UK's biggest grower of the crop, says it has quadrupled sales to more than 4m cobs a week, up from a typical 800,000 at this time of year, making sweetcorn one of the country's most popular vegetables. Waitrose says it has sold nearly half the year's total expected sales of corn on the cob in the past month.
Soaring demand has been fuelled by the popularity of barbecues at home, heavily influenced by the US and by chains such as Nando's as well as the recent good weather. Demand for sweetcorn has also been boosted by the trend for South American food inspired by the growing presence on our high streets of chains such as Wahaca, Barburrito and Chiquito.
Barfoots supplies 80% of the UK market via restaurants and retailers such as Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Tesco with cobs grown on its 5,000 acres of farmland in the UK's sunniest regions, including Bognor Regis, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight.
John Barfoot, commercial director of Barfoots, said: "Operations to supply the various outlets is 24/7 and harvesting cannot keep up with demand. More workers are being taken on weekly and we can say with confidence that every single UK cob grown this year will be sold.
"The company has been committed to meeting UK demand and has been forced to halt exports to France, Germany and Italy."
He explained that the crop had been boosted because the UK enjoyed an unusual amount of sun, light winds and very little rain since the start of July – perfect conditions for growing sweet corn. "Although we cannot categorically say this is down to global warming there is a definite change in weather patterns over the past couple of years which has had a major effect on sweetcorn supply," he said.
"In previous years the UK season has started up to six weeks later than in the past but this year it was the earliest harvest on record by two weeks."
But this could also lead to a looming shortage, Barfoot warned, as the season will also end slightly earlier than before: "Sweetcorn is no longer a niche product and its increased demand will see the UK season end up to a month earlier than ever before as we will simply run out. The value in the fields is now priceless in terms of produce."
Other British produce has been flourishing as a result of the good weather, reducing reliance on imports from overseas. Sainsbury's will be the first retailer to sell British-grown figs in store, following a commercial trial last year.
Traditionally it has not been possible to grow figs for commercial use in the UK, but the new figs – grown at Abbey View Farm in Essex – will be available in 25 stores until early October.
Tesco has just started selling English melons grown in Herefordshire, a county best known for its apples and pears. Tesco produce manager James Cackett said: "These watermelons taste so good that we don't think shoppers will be able to tell the difference between them and the imported ones sold on high streets from Spain and Brazil. The sweetness level is very good and they are standard size, weighing about between one and three kilos each.
"This is just a trial to see what shoppers think of them but if the reaction is good then we will work with the growers to get more for next year."
