Lincolnshire-based grower Jack Buck Farms says Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas caused 30% surge in celeriac sales

Many regard it as the ugliest vegetable thanks to its knobbly surface, straggly roots and odd shape, but shoppers are snapping up more celeriac as the Mary Berry effect drives sales.

Lincolnshire-based grower Jack Buck Farms, the largest celeriac grower in Europe, reported a 30 per cent uplift in sales last week, after the root vegetable featured in a recipe during an episode of Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas on BBC 1.

The episode, which aired at 9.30pm on Wednesday (December 13), saw the celebrated chef make a celeriac and sweet potato slaw with a honey and mustard dressing, topped with festive cranberries, which she hailed as the perfect accompaniment to cold meats or baked potatoes.

During the show Mary described the celeriac as looking ‘pretty nasty from the outside’ and urged viewers to peel the outside off, chop it into strips and then add some lime juice to prevent it discolouring.

Jack Buck managing director Julian Perowne said it was great to see celeriac featuring in a recipe on a prime-time cookery programme.

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“If a significant celebrity chef – Mary Berry, Jamie Oliver or James Martin for example – uses celeriac on a relatively seasonal recipe it does have a major effect – and one we’re very pleased to see!” he said.

“It all happened very quickly following this one, with both M&S and Lidl increasing their orders. As a result, our sales were up 30 per cent on the previous week, which is a pretty big uplift.

“Last year Jamie Oliver made roasted celeriac, roasted parsnip and roasted carrot in a three-way dish, about two weeks before Christmas and we had a similar situation.”

Celeriac has a mild celery flavour, with a peppery bite and a texture similar to a swede or sweet potato.

Jack Buck Farms, which produces 95 per cent of the UK’s crop, started out with just two acres back in 1986 and now grows 450 acres, supplying supermarkets, wholesalers, food suppliers and processors nationwide.

The farm, near Spalding, has its own celeriac brand – The Ugly One – and has previously exported its crop to Ireland and Holland.

Mr Perowne said demand for celeriac is increasing with more being sold into the restaurant, catering and food service sector while the vegetable is featuring on menus in more pubs and restaurants too.

“Celeriac has a great profile,’ he added, “it’s low in carbs, high in fibre – it’s got all the best bits of a vegetable. It’s very universal too, like a swede or sweet potato.

“But you can do so much more with it – it’s good in dauphinoise, sliced in the topping of a cottage pie or in soups. You can do with it what you can a normal potato – and now thanks to Mary Berry, it’s great for making coleslaw too.”

What do you think? Are you a fan of celeriac? Post your thoughts in the comments below