Waitrose has become the first UK supermarket to sell edible flowers following strong demand from its customers.
Mauve-coloured Violas and yellow Nasturtiums have been added to Waitrose’s bagged salad counters as part of the retailer’s new Finishing Touches range of salad ingredients.
According to the upmarket grocer, the English garden flowers can be scattered on fresh salads or added to cocktails, desserts and cakes . The Violas have a very mild flavour while the yellow Nasturtiums provide a slight peppery taste.
“Edible flowers are not just for decoration, they also have a lovely subtle taste,” said Waitrose Salad Buyer Rhonwen Cunningham.
“They were a popular food a few hundred years ago and we’re now seeing a renewed interest in eating these traditional English garden ingredients.”
Waitrose has also announced that it will offer English only cherries for five weeks at the height of the summer – the key period of the UK cherry season.
“English cherries are on their way back as commercial volumes start to increase and we’re confident that within the next two to three years English cherries will be as big and bold as English raspberries and strawberries,” said Waitrose buyer Nicki Baggott.
