British Tomato Fortnight 2022: a feast fit for a queen
British Tomato Fortnight is back! And this year, celebrations will have a decidedly regal theme. From 23 May until 5 June, we’ll mark peak tomato season in the UK with our annual two-week celebration of the deliciously juicy, marvellously nutritious toms we grow in Britain.
In celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne, we’ve developed a series of jubilee-inspired recipes
This year, we’ve developed a series of mouth-watering recipes perfect for street parties, picnics at the park, and at-home feasts.
Get a taste for the delicious dishes.
Following the success of our #TomsOnToast competition last year, keep your eyes peeled for a new jubilee themed competition being announced on our social media channels in the coming weeks.
We’ve also teamed up with foodie influencers from across the country, of all ages and backgrounds, who’ll create delicious recipes to mark British Tomato Fortnight across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Why we celebrate British tomatoes
In Britain, it’s fair to say we love toms. We eat around 500,000 tonnes of them every year. That’s 6oz or 160g per person per week, the equivalent of two classic British tomatoes per week, or more than 100 per year!
Around a fifth of the total toms we consume are grown in Britain.
British-grown tomatoes are famous for their flavour. That’s because they’re sold locally, so varieties are chosen for taste rather than durability.
They’re kept on the vine for longer, absorbing as much flavour as possible before they reach your plate. This also means they’re bursting with nutrition, boosting immunity, heart health and even protecting against cancer.
They’re good for the environment too. Food miles are dramatically reduced compared to imported counterparts. And British tomato growers are an innovative lot. From nourishing crops with rainwater to using bumblebees to pollinate the plants, they’re continually refining their growing techniques to work with nature, rather than against it.
Support British growers: look out for British toms in a supermarket near you
World events mean that British tomatoes and other homegrown produce are more important than ever. But this year, with one thing and another, many fruit and veg growers across the UK are facing pressures like labour shortages, supply delays and skyrocketing energy prices.
British growers are working tirelessly with retailers to keep up with demand for fresh, juicy British tomatoes.
To help support the industry and the amazing growers who produce British toms throughout the year, we ask you to keep an extra special eye out for British tomatoes in your local supermarket. Look out for our British Tomato Fortnight stickers during the event and please tag us on social media if you spot any in store.
Follow us on social media for British Tomato Fortnight updates.