Store teams offer friendly and personalized advice to help consumers choose and buy these products.
Buying seasonal products promotes healthy eating, saves money in households, contributes to the local economy, and fosters sustainability.
Choosing a good watermelon, knowing if a melon is ready to eat, or identifying when a mango is at its peak are common questions during the summer months. For many SPAR Gran Canaria customers, the answer lies with the people who serve them every day in their supermarkets.
The company values the knowledge and experience of its store professionals, who provide personalized advice to customers to help them select the best seasonal fruits and vegetables. This attentive and specialized service is part of the shopping experience that characterizes SPAR Gran Canaria and which, generation after generation, has made its stores trusted by thousands of families on the island.
Every day, store teams answer questions about which fruit is at its peak ripeness or how to store it to preserve all its properties. This advice goes beyond simply making a purchase and is based on the close relationships the staff maintain with many regular customers, some of whom they've known for years.
The various SPAR stores in Gran Canaria also offer other initiatives to facilitate the purchase of seasonal fruits and vegetables. The EUROSPAR San Fernando team explains that these products are prominently displayed in the stores to make them easy to identify.
In this regard, the staff at SPAR Plaza la Feria points out that regular customers are used to finding the fresh products they want in the different stores and, therefore, know where to go.
The staff at SPAR Lomo Apolinario agree, acknowledging that some customers, especially older people, are aware of the seasons for each product.
This care for the product, the knowledge of the professionals, the support for local agriculture and the loyalty of the customers have made Spar Gran Canaria the leading chain in the sale of fruits and vegetables on the island.
Tips for buying and storing seasonal produce
One of the store staff's priorities is to help choose items in good condition, recommend buying only the amount that will be consumed, and take advantage of the variety offered each season to enjoy a healthier and more sustainable diet.
The staff of the Purchasing and Sales Department of the Fruit and Vegetable Division of the supermarket chain explain that tropical pineapple, mango, and Gran Canaria watermelon are some of the predominant fruits during this time of year. As for vegetables, tomatoes are particularly noteworthy.
Other basic recommendations for consumers include ensuring that the color of fruits and vegetables is uniform and characteristic of each variety; likewise, the skin of the produce should be healthy and free of blemishes. In the case of many fruits, the aroma is a good indicator that they are at their optimal ripeness.
In fruits like peaches, nectarines, or flat peaches, a slight firmness usually indicates they are ready to eat in a few days. For watermelon, choose pieces that are heavy for their size and have a yellowish spot on the bottom, while melon should have a sweet aroma and a slight elasticity at the end opposite the stem.
As for storage, whole watermelons and melons can be kept at room temperature. Once cut, it's important to keep them refrigerated and protected.
Peaches, nectarines, flat peaches, and plums finish ripening better outside the refrigerator and, when they are ready, can be kept cold.
Tomatoes retain their flavor better outside the refrigerator, except when they are very ripe, while cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants and lettuce keep better in the refrigerator.
The distribution chain recommends consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables to enjoy the flavor, freshness and quality of the food since, being at their optimal harvest time, they better retain their properties and, in addition, usually offer an excellent quality/price ratio.
About SPAR Gran Canaria
SPAR Gran Canaria is the only supermarket chain with 100% Canarian capital and a presence in all 21 municipalities of the island. Through its online sales channel, it offers its customers fresh, locally sourced products of the highest quality. The company remains the sales leader in the fruit and vegetable category and has established itself as a leading food retailer thanks to its friendly service, the quality of its products, and personalized attention focused on meeting the needs of each customer.
