Fruit and vegetables sales have increased 66% at Londis in the past year ­following the launch of Londis Fresh.

Musgrave Retail Partners GB launched the initiative a year ago. A new warehouse management system was introduced to allow for longer shelf-life and a new chilled delivery fleet that services retailers six days a week was launched.

The number of Londis stores stocking fresh food had risen 79% to 1,296, said sales director Paul Courtney, and retailer feedback had been positive.

"I'm delighted that both Londis retailers and customers are benefiting from the products and promotions within our range," he added. "Fresh is a major milestone for Londis and I'm proud to say that it's our biggest growth area."

Courtney said that in the last three weeks, Londis retailers had sold 19,000 punnets of British strawberries, which travel from farm to store within 48 hours.