Super-tomato big enough to feed four launched in UK

A new variety of tomato – the biggest ever grown in the world, which can feed a family of four – has been developed and is for sale in the UK. It was made available in the US market last year.

The giant tomato is about 12 times the size of an average salad tomato. It has been developed by breeders in the UK and the US after almost two decades of research.

The super-sized 'Gigantomo' is so big that one tomato alone can serve up to four people and just one slice fills an entire burger bun or sandwich.

The enormous fruit grows up to 10 inches wide and is about 12 times the size of an average tomato.

Each Gigantomo plant can grow 6 feet tall and yield as many as 11 tomatoes; but requires support to stop it from buckling under the weight of the fruit.

Simon Crawford, one of the UK's leading plant breeders, was called in five years ago to finish the work of the late American grower Paul Thomas, who spent 15 years trying to breed a huge tomato, which tasted good too.

Thomas passed away before he saw his huge tomatoes hit the market, but Crawford was able to complete the breeding programme to ensure there would be enough seed to sell commercially.

The massive tomatoes were launched in the US last year.