We are passionate about delivering the freshest and highest-quality salad leaves and aromatic herbs to our customers across the country. We understand that freshness is paramount when it comes to produce. That’s why we have implemented and continually refined a range of processes to ensure our valued customers receive the very best products.
From the moment our salad leaves and herbs are harvested to the time they reach our customers’ forks, every step is carefully designed to preserve their natural flavour, texture, colour, and overall quality
Below, we share some of our approaches to maintaining the quality and freshness of our salad leaves and herbs, ensuring our customers receive the very best.
Unwashed Fresher For Longer
Pre-washed salad leaves and herbs adds moisture, which can lead to quicker spoilage. From our experience, minimally processing our produce, extends its shelf life, which is a priority for us as it helps create food waste. Additionally, it keeps freshness, maintains crunchiness, and holds its vibrant flavour for a longer period of time. This ensures our produce stays in peak condition until it’s ready to be eaten and enjoyed by others.
Innovative Vacuum Cooler
To lock in freshness before packing, we use the advanced technology of our innovative vacuum cooler. This system rapidly reduces the temperature of our crops to 3°C or below within 20 minutes of harvesting. During the warmer months, this technology is essential for maintaining the quality of our produce throughout the season. On days when field temperatures exceed 23°C, the vacuum cooler ensures the produce is quickly brought down to the correct temperature. By chilling the produce before packing, we contain its freshness and significantly slow down the natural deterioration process of the product.
Regular Quality Control
Each batch of produce that arrives – either from one of our trusted suppliers or directly from the field – undergoes a thorough inspection by Ivan, our quality control specialist. He reviews the quality checklist and assesses every pallets of baby leaves or herbs for size, shape, and colour, as well as checking for defects such as discoloration, bruising, cuts, or sliminess. This process makes sure that only the freshest, high quality produce is being sent into the packhouse for bagging and delivered to our customers.
As Ivan says, “I take pride in ensuring that only the best quality produce makes it to our customers. Every detail matters, from size and shape to the smallest blemish, because our customers deserve nothing less than the freshest and finest.”
Harvested and Delivered Within 24 hours
Our commitment to freshness extends right through to our delivery times. All our produce that is harvested from our fields or received from our suppliers, is packed and dispatched to our customers within 24 hours. This quick turnaround ensures that our salad leaves and herbs keep their just-harvested freshness when they arrive to our customers.
Quality Growing Practices
We take a hands-on approach to growing our salad leaves and herbs, ensuring freshness and quality at every stage of the growing process. By carefully monitoring soil health, watering, weather and overall climate, we create optimal conditions for our crops to thrive. Our primary focus is always on creating the best possible environment for producing harvests with tip top texture, flavour, vibrant colour, and overall quality.
Using advanced growing techniques, we are able to cultivate robust, high-quality produce that meets the highest standards. Through constant monitoring and attention to detail, our harvest team work in harmony to bring the best possible product to harvest, ready to deliver exceptional freshness and quality straight to our customers.
In summary, our dedication to quality and freshness is at the heart of everything we do. From our growing practices to our innovative processes, every step is designed to ensure we provide the very best salad leaves and herbs to our customers. When customers choose Blackdown Growers, they’re choosing excellence, freshness, and a commitment to delivering the finest produce every single time.
For more information about Blackdown Growers and our product offerings please call 01926 614 244 or email [email protected] .
