Budgens has secured, what is believed to be, the biggest pumpkins on display in any food retailer in the UK this year. The biggest three, weighing 235, 180 and 125 kilos, will be on display in Budgens stores in Ascot in Berkshire and Sawston and St Ives in Cambridgeshire.
Budgens secured its three largest pumpkins from the 34 entered in to the giant pumpkin ‘weigh in’ in Southport, Lancashire, believed to be the only event of its kind in the UK. Budgens biggest pumpkin, weighing in at 235 kilos or 39 stone, is an Atlantic Giant pumpkin and was supplied and grown by Jimmy Rimmer. Jimmy is a celery and lettuce grower by trade but enters the giant pumpkin weigh in each year with his home grown Atlantic Giants. The seeds were sown in April and harvest took place in October, following a six month growing period.
Budgens retailers always go to town for seasonal events and this Halloween is no exception. Customers can see the ‘scarily’ large giant pumpkin in stores and amongst other things, customers will be able to enter into a free prize draws to guess the pumpkins weight to win a ‘spookily good’ Budgens food hamper. Other Halloween celebrations include pumpkin carving plus the chance to try a free samples homemade pumpkin soup.
The three Budgens retailers with the biggest pumpkins are working with local charities and recycle the pumpkins once Halloween is over. Budgens and the retailers involved are delighted that they will be put to good use.
Other Budgens retailers are also be selling extra large pumpkins weighing in at 4-6kilos and grown by Budgens specialist grower in Lancashire. The pumpkin market in UK is worth approximately £25 million and demand in the market is up over 30 per cent year on year, however thanks to Budgens supersize pumpkins, Budgens sales are exceeding the market and are up 80 per cent year on year.
Said Dan Quest, Budgens Sales Director, “The Halloween season grows bigger every year and we’re delighted that Budgens pumpkins are the biggest. We’re also thrilled that our retailers use Halloween to further support their local communities, playing a key part in local activities whilst continuing to offer real food for today’s communities.”
