the bit about our onions
3... 2... 1... it's story time: Onions have a history that traces back thousands of years, with evidence suggesting their cultivation as early as 5000 BCE. Renowned for their pungent flavour and culinary versatility, onions played a crucial role in the diets of ancient civilisations, from the Egyptians to the Greeks to the Romans. In fact, the ancient Egyptians held onions in high regard, using them as currency for labourers constructing the pyramids, which were revered for their medicinal properties. Then, as trade routes expanded, onions spread across the globe, adapting to various climates and cuisines. Different varieties, such as red, white, and yellow onions, emerged over time, until onions became integral to diverse culinary traditions, serving as a foundation for countless dishes, from soups and stews to sauces and stir-fries.
Beyond their culinary significance, onions have maintained their reputation for potential health benefits, containing antioxidants and nutrients. Which is an added bonus given their importance in human culture and cuisine.
The Different Cuts We Offer
Whole
60-80mm
Wedged
1/4
Diced
6mm, 12mm, 15mm
Sliced
5mm
Our Growing Partners
Our founder Alfred Pearce came from a farming family and started growing vegetables for processing in the 1960's. This production remains within the company today with annual crops of circa 350 acres of Carrot, Parsnip, Onion and Rhubarb being produced.
Brown Onions
Sturon for sets. Wellington for Drilled.
Red Onions
Red Baron for sets (this moving toward Red Spark as well), Red Spark for Drilled.
Bedfordshire Growers
Bedfordshire Growers is a farmer owned Co-operative, formed in 1963. They retain a strong ethos of supporting local growers and supplying crops grown to the very highest technical and environmental standards. As well as onions, other crops grown are leafy salads, potatoes and brassicas. Their site extends over 98 acres, including adjacent farmland, and comprises of 3 packhouses fitted with modern crop grading and packing equipment, cold stores with distribution bays, and long term controlled atmosphere stores.
Suffolk Produce Ltd
Suffolk Produce Ltd is a business owned by a group of 11 family farms, working in co-operation to supply the UK fresh produce market with vegetables. It operates on a 30,000 acre, irrigated sand and land base on the Suffolk coast and specialises in onions, carrots, parsnips and swede. The soil type and location allows it to major on early production and reliable supply, particularly in wet conditions.
The farms are blessed with outstanding environmental features, including an ancient pollarded oak forest, vast areas of natural heathland and numerous estuaries along the Suffolk Heritage Coast.
Our Other Vegetables
Since 1959, Alfred G. Pearce Ltd have delivered bulk processing solutions to food manufacturers, handling 70,000 tonnes of vegetable products annually.
Crops are processed direct from the field, along with growing partners within a state of the art, purpose-built Processing Centre.
Vegetable washing, grading and storage - through to final preparation and packing - is all undertaken under one roof with full traceability control from seed to factory production line and dispatch.
