Lekker lettuce

WORDS Claire Jowell 

Checkers have launched a new product that takes fresh lettuce to the next level – it’s so fresh, it’s still alive.

Grown hydroponically and harvested with the roots still intact, Living Leaves Lettuce is alive and growing when purchased by the consumer. When stored in the fridge, it continues growing and the result is delicious, more flavourful leaves that last for more than twice as long as regular lettuce. 

The hydroponic lettuces are grown in long “channel-like” structures, with their roots growing in running water. The method is ultra eco-friendly as it recycles the water used, reducing consumption and needing far less space to grow than soil farming. The water also has an optimal supply of nutrients, ensuring that the leaves for your salad or sarmie abound with vitamins and flavour. 

The concept has been a hit in Australia and the US, and is now finally available here in SA to revolutionise our salads. So far the Living Lettuce is available in Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and the Northern Cape but plans to launch nationally are hot on the cards. So keep an eye out for the Living Leaves Lettuce at your local Checkers or Checkers Hyper.