A Scottish vegetable farming business has won a contract to supply a supermarket giant with 23 tonnes of asparagus.

The newly merged ESG Drysdale, made up of two of Scotland’s largest vegetable growers, will supply Asda Scotland stores with 23 tonnes of locally grown asparagus for the first time, to include three new lines.

The East of Scotland Growers (ESG) and R&K Drysdale merger was finalised earlier this year to form ESG Drysdale. ESG has had a relationship with Asda for the past five years, and this year, the newly established company will supply three new lines of asparagus harvested from its 15 farms which span 45,000 acres across Scotland.

Alex Mr MacArthur, of ESG Drysdale, said: “On the back of the merger and combining two firms with a longstanding history of high-quality produce, this year we’re delighted to extend our range by supplying three asparagus lines to Asda customers.

“We’re thrilled with the success of our locally grown asparagus and are launching 150g and 300g bundles into Asda stores, as well as 125g asparagus tips within the Extra Special range, which is testament to the quality of Scottish produce.

“We are a producer organisation across Scotland, with access to 45,000 acres of land for Fresh Produce, so it’s great to be utilising our own crops and supporting the local economy with large contracts from major retailers like Asda.”

Mr MacArthur also said: “It’s fantastic that Asda has such strong confidence in Scottish farming, and the produce we supply from our farms in Scotland is a fresher option for customers than the products flown in from abroad, as the time from being harvested to being packaged on the shelves is significantly reduced.

“Using local growers and suppliers is also a much more sustainable process of supplying vegetables as the produce doesn’t have to be imported in from thousands of miles away. The transportation of local vegetables creates a much smaller environmental impact with a lower carbon footprint.”

Ashley Connolly, of Asda, said: “We’re really proud to be bringing Scottish customers three new lines of locally grown and packed asparagus to our shelves. We know our customers demand fresh quality produce and by working with local farmers at ESG Drysdale we are getting stock into our stores quicker and with less travel time.”

Record ticket sales secure the future of the Royal Highland Show

 

Record ticket sales over the weekend have helped secure the future of the Royal Highland Show.

Over 220,000 people attended the annual event at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, Edinburgh. Run by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), the event, which showcases the best of food, farming and rural life, is regarded as one of Europe's best agribusiness shows.

Uncovering the value in the UK stock market

 

This article appears as part of the Money HQ newsletter.

What is value investing?

Value investing is an approach where investors look for stocks that exhibit solid fundamentals yet are priced below their true market value. True market value is determined by factors such as future cash flows, competitive advantages, growth prospects, and other key metrics.

Short-term investor sentiment, which can oscillate between fear and greed, often clouds the true value of a stock. The skill of a ‘value investor’ lies in identifying whether a market’s temporary emotional state has diverged from rational analysis and then exploiting it.