British Butternut breakthrough!

Having been one of the first to import and provide Butternut Squash to UK retailers in the 90s, Barfoots are delighted to be growing butternuts on UK soil on a commercial scale for the first time in its history. 

Butternut squash plants are tender and grow best in warm climates with well-drained soils, and to date the UK has been too cold and wet to grow them successfully on a large scale. Barfoots’ seed partner Sakata has been working for a number of years to find a solution to overcome these climatic challenges. 

With a portfolio of butternut squash varieties suitable for production regions across the world, the development of hybrid varieties has meant Sakata breeders have improved on the traditional types by selecting for consistent fruit shape, high yield, and quality. The ‘Mieluna F-1’ variety is a breakthrough in terms of its early maturity and adaptability to produce high quality fruits in cooler regions including the UK and Northern Europe. 

Milieluna has all the fantastic characteristics of butternut which we’ve come to know and love…sweet nutty rich flavour, nutrient dense, versatile, with the ability to last for months in an ambient environment without the need for packaging. 

Barfoots prides itself on sustainably growing, preparing and delivering exceptional speciality vegetables. Having pioneered the supply of many semi-exotic vegetables to the UK, Barfoots strives to deliver new and exciting ways for consumers to enjoy vegetables that are produced as sustainably as possible. Mieluna butternut grown in the UK is a great example of reducing inputs across the supply chain, to locally produce delicious and nutritious vegetables. 

Harvested in October, Barfoots’ British Butternuts are available in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose throughout the Autumn.