Nostalgia effect drives sales: boom for fresh cherries on Ocado

The retro cherry flavour is making a comeback: +150% in online sales. And the warm summer boosts all seasonal fruit.

The wave of nostalgia that has brought the “cherry” flavour back into fashion is also having a real impact on fresh fruit consumption. This is confirmed by Ocado, the British e-grocery giant, which reported a 150% increase in cherry sales compared to last year.

At the same time, searches for “fresh cherries” on the platform rose by 72%, a clear sign of a trend in full bloom.

From retro flavour to rediscovery

“The cherry flavour has gone from being a nostalgic recall to a seasonal must-have, appearing across many categories in creative and surprising ways,” explained Ben I’Anson, senior fruit buyer at Ocado.

“This popularity is also being reflected in fresh cherries, which are experiencing a true rediscovery by consumers.”

A revival that started with flavoured drinks and snacks, and then spread to fresh produce: a domino effect that shows how flavour trends can influence the agricultural sector.

A warm and generous summer

Also strengthening the success of cherries and all summer fruit was the excellent climatic season in the United Kingdom.

This was highlighted by Ocado’s CEO, Hannah Gibson, in a LinkedIn post: “It’s been an extraordinary summer for cherries, and we’ve believed in it from the start: sales are up 2.5 times (150%) compared to 2023.”

Gibson also praised the quality and early availability of strawberries, as well as the abundance of the harvest of British apricots at the peak of the season.

And the trend continues with the online debut of English plums and greengages, traditional green plum varieties.

Behind the scenes: credit to growers

In her remarks, the CEO acknowledged the key role of the entire supply chain, thanking suppliers such as BerryWorld, Worldwide Fruit and J.O. Sims:

“An incredible job by our growers and partners, who have faced the challenges of a warm season with great commitment and turned them into opportunities.”

A concrete testimony of how the combination of consumer trends and favourable weather conditions can bring value to fresh fruit – and particularly to cherries – in a market increasingly attentive to taste and seasonality.

Text and image source: fruitnet.com 

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