No more tears? UK supermarket launches ‘low pungency’ red onion

By Nathan Gray

- Last updated on GMT

New red onion variety promises less tears and bad breath
New red onion variety promises less tears and bad breath

Related tags Onion Wal-mart

UK supermarket chain ASDA has launched a new ‘sweet red’ onion variety that has lower pungency levels and is said to be milder, juicier and crunchier than more established varieties.

The Walmart-owned retail giant has unveiled what it describes as the UK’s first sweet red onion - which promises to rid shoppers of tears and bad breath after eating.

In an initiative spanning more than 20 years, farmer Alastair Findlay, of Bedfordshire Growers, personally tasted and evaluated some 400 to 500 bulbs per season to cultivate the new product.

Andy Wareham, vegetable buyer at Asda, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have worked and supported Alastair on his journey”

“Introducing the UK’s very first sweet red onion is a fantastic achievement and like the USA, the UK has a sweeter palate than most so will appreciate the same tangy flavour, without the strong acidity of some onions.”

Asda added that its Sweet Red has 'lower pungency levels', meaning the flavour is less overpowering, fewer tears are shed when chopping, and the odour will not linger on the breath as long as a regular onion.

More than 40 tonnes of Sweet Reds are hitting selected Asda stores across the UK this weekend priced at £1.

Related topics Business

Related news

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars