Spear not! Wonky asparagus is a bargain at just £1 a packet
At only £1 for a 180g pack of asparagus, it might seem like your typical supermarket bargain. But there is a twist.
these are not the pristine, per - fectly straight spears most shop - pers are familiar with – they have shot up in a rather wonky fashion.
Suppliers say the wild swing in temperatures over recent weeks means some of the crops are not standing to attention as usual.
But rather than waste them, Morrisons is offering the vegetables, which have a very short season, at the bar - gain price of £1 per 180g bag . this represents a saving of 26p when compared to the regular price of £1.75 for a bundle weighing 250g.
the unique offer, which is the cheapest on the market, is part of a wider effort by supermarkets to find a place in shopping baskets for fruit and veg that do not meet their normally high standards for size and shape.
Morrisons has added the crooked asparagus to its 14- strong wonky fruit and veg range, which includes carrots and potatoes, launched last year to tackle food waste. Michael Weightman, who buys asparagus for the chain, said: ‘We’ve stepped in to buy the crop as we wanted to help growers and put this normally luxury ingredient into the hands of shop - pers for just £1.’
James Dale, from asparagus sup - plier Flamingo P roduce, said: ‘the warm early spring and temperature fluctuations have resulted in 10 to 15 per cent of our asparagus crop growing wonky this spring.
‘But it’s only their shape which is different. Growing asparagus takes many years of hard work so we’re grateful that this part of the crop is being sold on to customers and will not be wasted.’
Morrisons will sell seven types of asparagus including Wonky Asparagus, an exclusive range called the Best emerald Crest Asparagus Spears, along with purple, white and green varieties. Most of the crop will originate from the supermarket ’s outdoor growers in Ross-on-Wye, the Vale of evesham and Kent.
Morrisons isn’t alone in the wonky veg department. Last year Asda launched its ‘ beautiful on the inside’ range of less-than-perfect vegetables at 30 per cent off. tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s also have similar lines.