Despite rising food prices- precipitated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict– Wimbledon authorities have decided against charging consumers more for their bowl of strawberries and cream. A minimum serving of 10 strawberries with a dollop of cream will still cost spectators £2.50, the same as it has been since 2010. A quintessential part of the Championships, the dessert has been a fixture at SW19 since Spencer Gore toppled William Marshall in straight sets in the inaugural edition. 

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While acknowledging the effects inflation has had on businesses across the country, the All England Lawn Tennis Club chief executive Sally Bolton spoke of the need to balance their interests with those of attendees at the Championship: 

“Like every other business, our costs are increasing across the board so we’re having to balance that challenge. As much as we can we’re trying not to pass that on to the consumer. One of the most iconic parts of our food and drink offer, strawberries, are kept at £2.50 and have been now since 2010, so we’ve retained those at an accessible price despite input prices going up,” quotes the Evening Standard.  

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With a long-time emphasis on sourcing locally, the club has been buying strawberries from Hugh Lowe Farms, located an hour away from London, in idyllic Mereworth. As per Bolton, the partnership with the Kent-based farm allows the club to dodge the overall inflationary tendency that has gripped Britain (and Europe). 

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The popularity of the fruit is undoubted! Reports suggest that spectators consume over 30 tonnes of strawberries during Wimbledon, making it as iconic to the tournament as the green grass and all-white dress code. But given its place among the Wimby scheme, nothing but the ripest is served on SW19’s lawns, and to this effect, it seems no stone shall be left unturned. While the farm perhaps has the best hands tending to their strawberry fields, the arrival of a new tracker (courtesy of Vodafone UK) will ensure consistently better yields from this season. Unmistakably, it has brought much cheer to owner Marion Regan:  

“It is a great privilege to be the sole provider of strawberries to Wimbledon, and that’s a role we’ve had for nearly 30 years. Now we’re using Vodafone’s cutting-edge technology to be able to deliver the best ever quality strawberries, all produced in a more sustainable way, for fans to enjoy,” quotes the Evening Standard. 

While Wimbledon 2022 might not carry the same heft, the organizers are at least keen to keep the season’s flavours in place.