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Phoney supermarket farm 'Rosedene' - TESCO aarrrgh!!!!

163 replies

Tonty · 07/03/2026 11:23

I am fed up with the awful fruit that is from 'Rosedene Farm'. Absolutely atrocious. I've just has some of their blueberries (they were the only ones left on the shelves). Each one is either hard &sour, or fluffy mushy nonsense, they taste like coagulated fat. Their strawberries are awful too.

I haven't bought this brand for yrs because i tried their oranges before and they were equally awful, but yesterday i was desperate for blueberries with my morning yogurt. What a disappointment! I just looked this farm up and to my amazement discovered its a fictitious farm used to sell Tesco Value products!! Does everybody know this already and I'm just late to the party? apparently all the supermarkets are in on it too. Had i known they were 'Value' fruit, I'd never have bought them. There are many great 'value' products, but fruit is not one of them.

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Buscobel · 07/03/2026 13:17

Tesco apples have been disappointing, as has much of the fresh produce we’ve tried recently. Our local farm shop has a long growing season for strawberries, as they grow them under cover, in a warm poly tunnel I imagine.

Fingalscave · 07/03/2026 13:17

I now never buy fruit and veg from Tesco as everything I ever tried from there had something wrong with it.

itsnotfairisit · 07/03/2026 13:16

SparklyTwinkleGlitter · 07/03/2026 12:13

Do you have any greengrocers or farm shops nearby? I used to buy my fresh fruit and veg from a local greengrocer when I lived in England about 10 yrs ago. They had lovely fresh stuff and house plants too.

I live rurally in a farming area, with a market town nearby. Even I don't have a greengrocer. The town is ringed by supermarkets

Tonty · 07/03/2026 13:15

Where do you get your frozen fruit from?

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HeadDeskHeadDesk · 07/03/2026 13:13

Sainsbury's seem to have a brand called Stamford Street (or something?) which is seems to be available in Sainsburys and is a front for their own brand, value bread products. I guess they think calling something Tesco / Sainsburys economy range puts people off buying them?

Anyway, finding decent blueberries is hard enough at the best of times, but buying economy ones is never going to end well. For years I thought I hated blueberries because they were always so tasteless and mushy. Then I realised I had just never tasted a decent blueberry because I was always buying them out of season. For yoghurt I find the frozen ones pretty good. No wastage and much cheaper.

Tonty · 07/03/2026 13:13

@brightnails Those look gorgeous. The market in St Albans does some scrumptious fruit too.

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Favouritefruits · 07/03/2026 13:13

It’s not really blueberry season, they’ll all taste rubbish atm, same with strawberries and other fruits.

Brefugee · 07/03/2026 13:11

YABU to expect good soft fruit at this time of year. It is force grown and/or has a LOT of food miles.

You are better off either eating seasonal fruit or getting frozen.

IsaacBenabram · 07/03/2026 13:10

JTRSOP · 07/03/2026 13:06

M&S sells great fruit and veg. My rabbit will only eat M&S celery- won’t touch Tesco one 😂

My beloved hounds will only eat fresh venison from the local stately home farm shop.
I'm so fortunate that Mama's eldest brother owns it.

Charlize43 · 07/03/2026 13:10

Several years ago when there was a chicken scare, I was surprised to learn that the farm (or chicken supplier, or whatever they are called) was supplying both M&S and Lidl.

brightnails · 07/03/2026 13:09

yes I hate the brands within a brand, on the other side I ventured into Hertford market yesterday and everything tempting and huge! had to rein myself in, and not expensive either so maybe a market near you would help?

Phoney supermarket farm 'Rosedene' - TESCO aarrrgh!!!!
Tonty · 07/03/2026 13:09

@JTRSOP Posh rabbit! it must be careful.....

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Agapornis · 07/03/2026 13:08

They rebranded Tesco Value in about 2018. A friend working in design was involved at very low level, and had to sit through some very, very tedious meetings.

JTRSOP · 07/03/2026 13:06

Tonty · 07/03/2026 12:40

Oh yes M&S too!

M&S sells great fruit and veg. My rabbit will only eat M&S celery- won’t touch Tesco one 😂

ThatPearlkitty · 07/03/2026 13:05

not sure how accurate this is :

  • Stockwell & Co. (pantry staples like tea, canned goods, basics)
  • Hearty Food Co. (ready meals, frozen foods, pizzas, comfort items)
  • Ms Molly's (desserts, cakes, biscuits, sweets)
  • H.W. Nevill's (bread, rolls, bakery items)
  • Butcher's Choice (sausages, burgers, basic meat)
  • Creamfields (milk, cheese, butter, dairy)
  • Eastman's (deli meats, pies, sandwiches)
  • The Grower's Harvest (tinned/frozen veg, fruits, produce basics)
  • Boswell Farms (fresh beef/meat)
  • Woodside Farms (pork products)
Tonty · 07/03/2026 13:04

IsaacBenabram · 07/03/2026 12:52

Keep bananas separately.
The 'veg' fruits can go in the veg rack.

I agree. Bananas after they're ripe, give off a gas that can rot all other fruit close to it. I tend to separate them out but not always.

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Ipendem · 07/03/2026 13:03

You’re very late to the party this is common knowledge

bridgetreilly · 07/03/2026 13:01

I think there was a thing about it when they first introduced the brand. It is pretty obvious, imo.

piscofrisco · 07/03/2026 12:57

StopWindingBobStopWinding · 07/03/2026 12:41

Nobody will get fresh berries from a farm shop in the UK in March, though.

Unless grown in a warmed poly tunnel maybe?

IsaacBenabram · 07/03/2026 12:52

Tonty · 07/03/2026 12:46

Thanks @IsaacBenabram , I always keep fruit in a bowl.

Keep bananas separately.
The 'veg' fruits can go in the veg rack.

mindutopia · 07/03/2026 12:49

How did you not know this?! Even if it wasn’t blooming obvious, blueberries are clearly not growing on a farm in Kent in March are they?

Tonty · 07/03/2026 12:46

Thanks @IsaacBenabram , I always keep fruit in a bowl.

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LilyBunch25 · 07/03/2026 12:45

It is just and has always been a brand name Tesco used to relabel the value range.

Tonty · 07/03/2026 12:43

@BombayMixIsTheBestMix I do look at them. They looked perfectly fine no different from the Tesco own brand ones I usually buy, which are usually a mixed bunch but mostly reasonable.

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SpringIsSpringing2026 · 07/03/2026 12:43

Tonty · 07/03/2026 12:40

Oh yes M&S too!

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