British supermarket chain Asda has reintroduced its range of niche fruit products, including an apricot and plum hybrid and Spanish-grown grapes that taste like cotton candy. 

Asda fruit buyer Alberto Goldbacher said the supermarket was stocking the unique varieties that were the result of long-term breeding programs.

"We’re going through a really innovative phase of fruit growing where we’re able to naturally develop different varieties and bring something new and interesting for Asda customers to try," he said.

"We’ve got a few different examples in stores at the moment, including our really popular Extra Special Candy Floss Seedless Grapes with a gorgeous sweet taste of vanilla candy floss."

Other products he highlighted were the Doughnut Peaches, which he said tasted like the regular fruit but were circular-shaped, and the Grower's Selection Flavour King Plums, with "bubble gum flavour and a lovely red flesh".

Goldbacher said he had seen many changes during his 31 years in the industry, and the 'quirky' fruit lines demonstrated the consumer-driven trend for different and exclusive varieties.

“Words like “candy” and “bubble gum” are a really good way of describing the flavour. It’s so unique; the fruits have these candy-like sweet characteristics that stop you in your tracks," he said.

“Customers are starting to recognize and ask for these varieties, and they’re proving a big hit. They're really popular with kids and are a great way of getting them to eat more fruit.

“I took a punnet of the bubble gum plums (pluots) home and when you see the whole lot being devoured in seconds by the kids you know you’re onto something. But it's not just children who love them – we're finding these new flavour profiles are appealing to all ages.

Shifting from niche to mainstream

Asda has previously stocked the so-called niche fruit, but recent production increases have led to greater availability.

“There will be thousands of different varieties of grapes to work from and the breeders will take little aspects from all of them together. Breeding these plants takes years to perfect and only after successful trials can we start to increase production and extend their availability," he said.

“That’s really what it’s all about – offering customers a choice of the best and most unique varieties and offering a healthy snack that children will want to try.

Currently sourced from Spain, Goldbacher explained the cotton candy grapes were also being grown in Italy, Brazil and Mexico, and increased volumes were expected throughout the year.

“Asda has people [in Spain] who’ll be visiting the vineyards with the grower and their team. They check that levels are right to get the right flavour profile and ensure that it meets all our specifications,” he said.

“It will be packed into the punnet by the grower in Spain and then delivered to our depots in the UK. They can be in stores within four days."

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