Upmarket UK retailer Waitrose & Partners has announced that it has relaxed shape and size guidelines for Brussels sprouts to support farmers after an 'extremely' wet autumn.
The move will help the retailer in sourcing more sprouts from UK farmers, which would have been otherwise discarded for not matching the guidelines.
'A Tricky Time'
Sprouts buyer at Waitrose & Partners, Lucy Broughton, said, "Love them or hate them, Brussels [sprouts] have had a tricky time this year, but our farmers have worked incredibly hard to make the best out of a bad spate of weather.
"While they might not be perfect in appearance, the quality and flavour this year are superb."
Following a successful launch in 2018, Waitrose & Partners plans to bring the 'sproutlets' back on store shelves due to an increase in demand.
Waitrose.com has seen a 78% increase in search for the Brussels sprouts, the retailer added.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
