From patch to plate: behind the scenes with a British strawberry producer

Whether it’s picnics outdoors or watching the tennis, strawberries are synonymous with summer – and they’re in season now! But what makes British strawberries taste so good? Co-op strawberry grower Harry Hall, from Hall Hunter, gives us a sneak peek into what goes on behind the scenes at his farm

My mum and dad started the business in 1966 and I took over in 1997 – so we’ve been growing strawberries for a while! When it comes to growing berries, it’s all about being curious: which varieties are the best for our customers? What is the best growing environment? We ask a lot of questions, and we know which questions to ask.

Growing greatness

As fruit growers, it’s important to have a strong knowledge of agronomics – that’s the science of soil management and crop protection – and to create the best growing environment for strawberries. Strawberries like active climates, which allow for lots of photosynthesis to create the sugars in the fruit.

You also need to consider varieties, and there are hundreds of varieties to choose from. At our farm, I do a lot of trial work to select the right types of strawberries for our Co-op customers. We aim to be specialists at growing these varieties, and that means asking lots of questions to the breeder and propagator.

Then we get that variety ready to be picked at the very best time, and ultimately on the Co-op shelves as quickly as possible. It’s a really slick process. At the moment we’re in picking season, but the farms are calm, everyone knows what they’re doing.

The benefits of 100% British strawberries

At Hall Hunter, my hope is we can demonstrate that the way we farm, both ethically and technically, is the very best we can. Everyone working here has a real passion for what we do. It’s a characteristic we think is vital to produce the freshest and tastiest berries possible.

What’s more, our strawberries are already in the UK, and for fruit like strawberries, it’s important to have a shorter time to market – less time on lorries and more time on shelves. This ensures our customers get the very best berries.

Shared values

Our farm is a member of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF), an organisation that supports sustainable farming practices. We also feel aligned with Co-op’s sustainability values, and work with this in mind across the business. One example of how we practise sustainable farming is via heated strawberry crops. These are heated through what I call an environmental heating system: we utilise the heat naturally stored in the ground and pump water from the river through five heat pumps. It’s a far better alternative to gas boilers. But sustainability is a balance – it has to start with being profitable and being able to invest in the future.

We also try to exist in a balanced ecosystem by investing in new hedges around our crop borders. We want to improve the biodiversity and nature around us and create a better environment overall. This allows us to consistently grow great products, in a sustainable and ethical way, all within the UK.

Co-op has also brought us together with a group of other independent growers to drive Co-op’s fruit selection forward, which is exciting. It feels like a very organic way to do business. It already feels like a much tighter way of working, and will provide more opportunities for the future.

Excellent taste

We walk through the farm and taste test our strawberries to make sure they’re as good as, if not better than, any competitors. For me, a strawberry is best just after it’s been picked – you can’t beat eating it straight from the plant!