“Woolworths has intensified its focus on seedless watermelons to be able to offer our customers an exceptional eating experience for as long as possible,” says Konrad Marais, senior fruit procurement specialist at the retailer which will launch what it calls an exciting addition to its watermelon line in January 2022, if all goes to plan.
Watermelons grown by a producer for Woolworths in Lephalale, far northern Limpopo Province (photos supplied by Woolworths)
It is the result of a combined project with their partners and producers in Lephalale and Vredendal. “We have been experimenting with seedless watermelon varieties from three different breeding programmes for the past four years, and finally we are able to offer the varieties to our customers on a full commercial scale this coming 2021/2022 season."
For the last three years the retailer has imported watermelons from Spain for a six to ten week period which has, he says, been key to their revitalized watermelon strategy.
Woolworths watermelons grown in Vredendal, on the Cape West Coast
Watermelon availability will remain a challenge for next couple of weeks
The watermelon market is a difficult market, he notes, and has experienced a challenging couple of seasons due to various factors like dramatically increasing costs, the weather and disease, specifically cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus.
“Market demand always fluctuates with strong demand in the early season when fruit is scarce. Current demand will be high, availability will be a challenge and this will most likely continue until the middle to the end of November.”
Every week new watermelon plantings are established in the red Hutton soil of Lephalale
Watermelons for Woolworths are grown in Lephalale and Musina, in the far north of Limpopo Province, as well as in Vredendal in the Western Cape to ensure consistent quality and stable availability for the season from October to May.
“Luckily there was no longterm effect from the winter frost over the north of the country, but our season has been postponed by the erratic weather by an estimated 10 to 14 days,” Konrad notes.
A category that desperately needs excitement
Watermelon sales in general have been erratic over the last couple of seasons, Konrad says.
Consumers seem to have turned away from traditional watermelons with their copious seeds and this has played a part in a reluctance to buy the fruit.
Other factors working against the older varieties are its eating quality consistency, which relates to value for money, as well as the inconvenience of its size and shape. Therefore, newer varieties are rounder in shape, and will be more consistent in size.
“Our drive is to offer the best possible quality for longer, and hopefully this will provide some excitement to a category that desperately needs it. We are very optimistic about the coming season. “
An aerial view of the staggered watermelon plantings that enable weekly harvests.
For more information:
Konrad Marais
Woolworths
Tel: +27 21 407 9111
[email protected]
https://www.woolworths.co.za/
