A fresh produce trial has sent fruit and veg sales soaring 131% in value and 141% in volume at the 30 Nisa retailers that took part.

During the 13-week trial, which ran from October to February, retailers had to commit to purchasing all their fresh produce from Nisa.

“We were able to experiment with what produce would work, but also saw an increase in the sales of our fresh meat, which shows customers are using the store as a one-stop shop,” said Nisa Local retailer Rav Garcha. “The fresh produce incentive allowed us to be free of mind in terms of ordering fruit and veg.”

Nisa said it was now planning to promote the initiative at its annual exhibition next month. It has also negotiated a deal with suppliers so that it can offer retailers price-marked packs of key products such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions and potatoes.

“We are really pleased with the progress of the trial and this reflects the commitment we have from the members who took part,” said Nisa fresh business manager Nick Slater. “Those who participated increased their range, which in turn increased their sales.”