Onions that don't make you cry are returning to Woolworths stores after a successful trial in New South Wales and Victoria last year. Happy Chop Tearless Onions are less irritating to the eyes and have a sweeter taste.
As a natural self-defence mechanism, when an onion is cut it releases a combination of amino acids and enzymes that can cause our eyes to water.
The Happy Chop onions start off containing fewer of these compounds and they continue to reduce after the onions have been harvested, the opposite of regular onions, in which these compounds increase over time. The result is an onion that becomes sweeter and less tear-inducing over time.
The onions were developed by Nunhems, the vegetable seeds business of German chemical company BASF. It took 25 years of R&D using natural methods like cross-breeding onion varieties, to bring Happy Chop Tearless Onions to market.
They were launched in the US in 2017, and the UK in 2022 under the brand name Sunions. Happy Chop is the Australian variety, which is grown and packed in South Australia by Dolling Produce.
Woolworths Supermarkets’ general manager Fruit & Veg, Paul Turner, said that the company was excited to bring the onions to more customers this year.
“During the trial, lots of customers tried out the unique range and shared their experiences with us. For people who typically shed a tear or two when cutting onions, it’s really been a game changer for meal prep.
“As onion season gets into full swing during autumn, Happy Chop Tearless Onions are one of a number of onion varieties we will have on offer in our stores, giving our customers a wide range of fresh produce to choose from. With a little bit of a sweeter taste, they can be enjoyed raw in a salad or cooked in a casserole or soup,” Turner said.
Happy Chop Tearless Onions are available in 500g packs for $2.50 each, in Woolworths supermarkets across the country, except Western Australia and Tasmania, until October or while stocks last.
