AMS awarded total British top fruit supply to Asda

Advanced Marketing Services (AMS) have been awarded the job of supplying the UK’s number 2 retailer, Asda, with their total requirement of British top fruit in addition to their existing fruit sales to them. AMS Managing Director, Martin Seymour said “We are very proud to have been awarded the business. We have always kept our heads down and just got on with  doing our jobs for both Asda and our growers which has obviously paid off”.

In addition to being selected to supply Asda with their British top fruit, we are proud to have been awarded the task of raising the profi le of all British fruit in Asda stores, to increase sales by providing greater volumes, greater variety, innovative packaging and creating consumer appealing campaigns on the entire British fruit range.

Due to the massive increase in sales this year by the reintroduction of multiple pack sizes to Asda including the smart price range AMS is not able to solely supply through the height of the British season so another supplier has been brought in to supplement the volume in this period (congratulations KG Fruits – we will be working hard to replace you). In reaction to this our suppliers, Well-Pict European have brought forward plans to increase production for 2006 to meet the demand in the UK, in addition, their investment and  expansion continues outside the UK to ensure increased volumes of top quality import fruit for the future.

Maintaining a high standard of quality across the 52-week supply has always been a vital factor of our business and it’s the reason I started Well-Pict European, I wanted to be confident that the growers supplying AMS understood this philosophy and would work with us to achieve it. It saddens me that multiples across the UK are taking chances with our industry by accepting fruit from irresponsible importers, this leads to irresponsible retailing, which will inevitably have a negative effect on long-term sales as consumers become disenchanted with repeat purchases of poor tasting, deteriorating fruit.

I also don’t think it does our industry any favours, when price points on new season British glass house fruit, are so low. This situation is more akin to when certain marketing companies, oversupply, swamps the market place in August. What’s worse, is when the quality of the fruit being sold at crash down prices, is so poor, that it is not even worth it.

Of course there are lots of examples of British growers doing what they do best - producing excellent fruit. I just worry that if the industry does not act to eradicate these incidences of irresponsible supply then the minority will ruin it for the majority.

Spring 2005