Salad producer fresh for further growth

A YORKSHIRE salad producer is preparing to take its products into new markets as it anticipates further expansion.

Andrew and Anna Johnson launched Home Harvest Salads in East Yorkshire ten years ago as a new concept for the supermarket fresh produce section, with trays of growing baby leaves that could be kept on the kitchen windowsill and harvested on demand.

Fast-growing success has driven huge expansion over the past decade and the company’s customer base now includes Asda, Booths, the Co-operative, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

The business currently has 20 acres at its site in Brough but said as it continues to grow, it anticipates further expansion.

Anna Johnson said: “Expanding has been a fairly consistent process for us and we anticipate we will continue to do so.”

Home Harvest Salads has recently entered Holland and France and Johnson said it plans to launch into more European markets.

She said international sales will be in small volume this year, but the team is confident this will become a bigger part of the business, which during its busiest periods over summer, has a team of 50.

One of its new ranges, the Oriental Mixed Living Salad, was one of 10 products shortlisted for the coveted Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2014, which is voted for by some 58,000 trade professionals from 130 countries. The product was the only UK-produced innovation to be nominated for the coveted industry award and came in second place behind Eisberg, a Swiss company that produces a vegetable mix for grills and barbecues.

Johnson said: “It’s very exciting to see our Oriental Mixed Living Salad take second place for this prestigious award, especially as ours is the only UK-produced innovation on the shortlist. It recognises and rewards ten years of great progress and hard work.”