U.K. retailer Tesco has announced it will be selling a sweeter variety of homegrown broccoli in a bid to boost kids' consumption of the vegetable.

Tesco brassica buyer Jeni Gray said broccoli was one of the most nutritionally beneficial of all foods, but sometimes getting children to eat it could be hard work.

"Finding a sweeter tasting green, especially broccoli, that is likely to be enjoyed by kids has long been a mission for vegetable producers," she said.

"We think that this new sweet variety of broccoli, which is grown in Scotland, will prove to be a real hit not only with kids but also with parents.

"As the Supersweet is packed with flavour we are leaving long stems because we believe people will want to eat the whole floret and not just the heads."

Broccoli is the U.K.'s top selling 'green' with an annual market value of £178 million (US$279 million).

Photo: Flickr, Nick Saltmarsh

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