Earlier this week, Mansfields hosted the British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) Harvest Event and Awards, welcoming more than 100 guests to Canterbury, Kent.
Retailers, growers, industry representatives and political stakeholders gathered in the heart of Mansfields’ farms to celebrate last year’s record-breaking season for British apples and pears, look ahead to the 2026 harvest and discuss the collaboration, investment and future growth of the British fruit-growing sector.
Set amongst Mansfields’ orchards, the event combined industry updates and the presentation of BAPL’s Retailer of the Year Awards with a first-hand look at the crop, orchard technology and innovation at Mansfields.
Guests heard from Ali Capper, Executive Chair of British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), who provided an overview of the 2026 crop and discussed opportunities for future growth and investment. She also highlighted the importance of continued collaboration across the supply chain and presented the Retailer of the Year Awards, recognising retailers supporting the British apple and pear sector.
James Miller, Managing Director of Mansfields, shared the story of Mansfields, tracing the development of the business from its history through to the present day. He also provided an update on the company’s ongoing development plans and investment in apple and pear production.
Guests then took part in guided orchard tours, providing a first-hand look at different varieties and the technology, innovation and expertise behind modern fruit production. The tour followed the journey of the crop from dormancy and pruning through to blossom, orchard management and harvest, before ultimately reaching the customer.
Demonstrations and discussions included the Aurea Tree Scout and Munckhof 3-Row platform, showcasing advances in planting, pruning, crop-load management, fruit counting and vigour mapping.
Guests were also introduced to the LIDAR single-row sprayer, highlighting practical applications and cost-saving technologies designed to help mitigate rising growing costs, as well as Revo picking rigs, which demonstrated crop-load assessment techniques and the impact of seasonal conditions on fruit quality.
Together, the demonstrations highlighted how investment in technology and innovation is helping growers improve efficiency, sustainability and crop quality across the British apple and pear sector.
The annual British Apples & Pears Harvest Event has become an established fixture in the industry calendar, bringing together growers, retailers, industry representatives and policymakers at a key point in the British fruit-growing season.
This year’s event provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the sector, showcase British fruit production and strengthen collaboration across the supply chain while looking ahead to continued investment, innovation and growth.