Summer in Catalonia smells like the sea and, above all, sweet fruit. But, what is the undisputed queen of the season? According to the 1st edition of the Flavor Thermometer presented by Ametller Origen, the verdict is clear: watermelon (39%) is the fruit with the preferred flavor of summer for Catalans.
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The study, based on a survey conducted by Ametller Origen and Appinio with 800 people across the territory, places this fruit as the quintessential summer icon. The podium is completed by melon (22.8%) and cherry (18.9%), which also establish themselves as some of the most representative fruits of Catalonia, along with the yellow peach.
Watermelon (39%) is the fruit with the preferred flavor of summer for Catalans, ahead of melon (22.8%) and cherry (18.9%)
Despite the historic rivalry between watermelon and melon on summer tables, watermelon has managed to take first place thanks to its hydration capacity and lightness. Additionally, respondents highlight that watermelon takes them back to moments from their childhood.
Regarding the four Catalan regions, watermelon is the preferred fruit throughout the territory. Tarragona is where it receives the most support, with 42% of responses, followed by Barcelona (41.2%). In Girona, the choice reaches 38.5%, while in Lleida it is 34.5%.
90% of respondents say they would be willing to pay more for a fruit with more flavor
An average of 2.3 pieces of fruit per day
Catalans consume an average of 2.3 pieces of fruit per day, a figure in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), which advises eating between two and three pieces of fruit per day as part of a diet that includes at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The Ametller Origen study shows that men and women consume practically the same amount. By region, Barcelona is the area with the highest consumption, while Girona records the lowest. Additionally, a clear trend is observed: the older the respondents, the more fruit they consume.
Regarding consumption habits, 67% of respondents state that the best time to eat fruit is in the morning or at lunchtime. In contrast, only 8% consider that night is the ideal time to consume it.
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67% of respondents state that the best time to eat fruit is in the morning or at lunchtime
The study also highlights that flavor is an increasingly decisive factor. In fact, 90% of respondents say they would be willing to pay more for a fruit with more flavor. When buying it, they also especially value proximity and the ripeness level.
Furthermore, 95% of participants acknowledge that visual appearance influences their purchase decision, which shows that consumers are becoming increasingly selective and demanding. Despite this, 81% admit that it is increasingly difficult to find fruit with the same flavor they remember from their childhood, a fact that reinforces the perception that recovering flavor is today one of the main demands of consumers.
95% of participants acknowledge that visual appearance influences their purchase decision
‘El gust és nostre’
The presentation of the 1st Flavor Thermometer coincides with the launch of Ametller Origen’s new brand, El gust és nostre. True to its constant evolution, the Penedès-based company bets on a narrative centered on flavor as a guarantee of quality and product excellence.
Ametller Origen, which celebrates 25 years this year, builds its present and future model on flavor as the backbone that structures all its activity, from the first seed to the experience at the table. A model that makes it completely unique and has made the company the preferred chain by consumers in the fruit and vegetable category in Spain, according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU).
The launch is framed within a new global purpose: “Empower the world to be guided by flavor.” “Excellent flavor is not a coincidence; it is the direct consequence of our way of doing things and that is what makes us unique,” explains Josep Ametller, CEO and co-founder of Ametller Origen.
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