UK supermarket chain Asda has launched a new, sweeter red onion that reduces the pungency and odour of traditional varieties.
The new Sweet Reds variety produces fewer tears during chopping and an odour that doesn’t linger for so long in the mouth, following 20 years in the developmental phase. The retailer launched 40 tonnes of the £1-priced vegetable, from Bedfordshire Growers, into selected stores this weekend.
Asda vegetable buyer Andy Wareham said: “We’re incredibly proud to have worked and supported Alastair on his journey.
“Introducing the UK’s very first sweet red onion is a fantastic achievement and like the US, the UK has a sweeter palate than most so will appreciate the same tangy flavour, without the strong acidity of some onions.
“It’s funny to think that prior to the 1990s, there were no red onions grown within the UK, however, due to the popularity and versatility of the variety, they now account for 20% of the total onions sold within the UK.”
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