An Angus farm has been left with a berry big problem after a cancelled supermarket order left it with 13,000 surplus strawberry plants.
A change in order from a supermarket means Omachie Fruit Farm – run by Forbes of Kingennie owner Mike Forbes – has been left with a surplus of the fruit plants.
The surplus was more than 13,000 last week, but has been whittled down to just over 10,000.
Instead of them going to waste, Mr Forbes and Forbes of Kingennie general manager Bruce Sheridan decided to give the plants away.
The cancelled order cost Omachie Fruit Farm about £2,000.
Bruce explained: “Omachie fruit farm supplies many supermarkets.
“One chain had a change of variety and that meant there was 13,000 Murano strawberry plants.
“Rather than them going to waste, in the times everyone is experiencing, we put our heads together and wanted to get them out to the public.
“We just felt that between community groups, allotments and so on, there must be enough people to take the plants on.”
Each of the plants in ideal conditions will give away about one kilo of strawberries in the growing season, he added.
“Mike and I just felt it was better going somewhere than just going to waste.”
A good response so far
Bruce said the response has been encouraging so far: “I’ve delivered 18 trays with 120 trays in each today.
“We’ve got rid of more than 2,000 plants and we’ve got people ordering them as well.
“They are currently at Omachie fruit farm.
“We’ve got them under refrigerated conditions. Strawberry plants aren’t the prettiest – they are in boxes of 120 and we keep them cool.
“That stops them from wanting to grow.”
Anyone interested in placing an order should contact Bruce through the resort at info@forbesofkingennie.com
Forbes of Kingennie opened its doors in 2005, with luxury lodges and weddings at the heart of the business, alongside a golf course and fishing pools.
Last year, bosses set out the financial impact of Covid-19.
Libby Forbes, marketing manager and daughter of owners Mike and Gail, said the business had lost sales of £750,000.
