As Christmas approaches you may spot a seller on a street corner selling roasted chestnuts over an open brazier. Surely one of those evocative Christmas sights and aromas. But stop if you will and spare a moment to consider how those Chestnuts arrived there. They may well have travelled over 5000 miles! Many of the fresh chestnuts you may buy from your local supermarket or fruit and veg store will have come from China.
It’s no mean feat to get them here. They have to be picked fresh from the farms in late September or October by Santa’s elves (they plan well ahead for Christmas). Washed sorted and bagged. They are then placed in crates and loaded into refrigerated containers (they have to be kept around 2 degrees)! Following a few 100 mile road trip (not pulled by reindeer – they are too busy helping Santa) they are loaded onto an ocean going vessel for the long 4 week voyage to the UK. No quick ride on Santa’s sleigh for them and no furry red coat to keep them warm. On arrival in the UK Santa’s helpers are on hand to unload and inspect the cargo to make sure it’s safe for human consumption. They are then carried by road to wholesalers in places like New Covent Garden ready to be purchased by your local discerning greengrocer.
This is just one story explaining a little what goes to make Christmas magical. We wish all our customers a joyous and happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.