Britons give classic round tomato the red card as coloured and vine varieties score | Tomatoes

For a long time the classic round red tomato dominated British salads and sandwiches, but its supremacy is under threat due to sales of rainbow colors and the rise of luxury rival “cherry on the vine”.

According to Paul Faulkner of Evesham Vale Growers, sales of “non-red tomatoes” are up 21% this year; This is a growth rate that far exceeds the overall market.

This category includes yellow, orange, green, purple, brown and even striped varieties, which are increasingly common in British supermarkets.

“We’ve accustomed our consumers to the fact that tomatoes don’t have to be red,” Faulkner said. The grower, who supplies Sainsbury’s and Aldi, is adapting to the trends reshaping the tomato industry and has devoted 20% of its growing area to orange, cherry and vine varieties.

In the past, breeders worked with seed breeders on colorful varieties, but although they looked good, “they didn’t taste very good,” Faulkner said. “We now have new varieties that not only look great but taste great too.”

Britons spend just over £1bn a year on tomatoes, according to Worldpanel, Numerator’s grocery data analyst. In the year to June 14, sales were up 3% on the previous 52 weeks. Within this figure, non-red tomatoes constitute the fastest growing part of the market.

In an indication of how tastes are changing, the data also shows that sales of premium cherry tomatoes are on track to surpass round salad varieties this year.

While the classic touring is still the best-selling model, with annual sales of £190 million, its popularity is waning. “We think the premium cherries on the vine will surpass them this year,” Faulkner said.

Classic tomato sales are around £5 million below 2025 levels, while upmarket rivals earned between £16 million and £180 million. Over a two-year period, sales of non-red tomatoes doubled to £50 million.

Most supermarkets now sell British tomatoes in a wide variety of tins, which are cheaper per kilogram than smaller packs. Waitrose says sales of its £5 traditional tomato collection box are up 22.5% on last summer.

Simon Conway, chairman of the British Tomato Growers Association, says the larger color range adds some theater to a historically “dull” market that has relied on the classic six-pack of round tomatoes. Given that most households already buy tomatoes, “it’s very difficult to get new consumers to buy. What you can do is barter them and encourage them to buy more, and with some of these larger boxes the price per pound is better.”

Isle of Wight Tomatoes, which produces up to 55 varieties a year, underlines that times are changing for tomatoes. It sells its “red, green and everything in between” tomatoes at retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Ocado, as well as by subscription online.

Paul Thomas, the company’s general manager, says that when it comes to taste, “orange tomatoes are a little more fruity than red ones,” while yellow ones are “less acidic, sweeter.” A brown tomato may have “more umami flavor.” Its products, which include green ‘tiger’ and ‘pink oishi’ varieties, have been a hit with shoppers this summer, with the brand’s sales through Ocado up 86% year on year.

“The UK consumer has come a long way in terms of confidence in food and willingness to try new things,” Thomas said. “People who are trying to eat healthy or eat less meat are looking for different ways to add flavor and excitement. Tomatoes are also sensory because if you see the color, it makes you feel good.”