Crop Report

All of our strawberries are now coming from British farms, so it’s a great time to make a feature on your summer menu. There’s nothing quite like British strawberries as the warm days and cooler nights increase sugar levels, make them super sweet and extra delicious.

As we approach the end of the winter season, there are some end-of-season issues with quality. This is not unexpected given the age of the crop, but we are working with our suppliers to manage this as best we can with the limited stocks available. 

The transition to the early new season product will start in the next few days, although it will take a few weeks to fully change over.   

Severe storms and flooding across key South African growing regions have restricted access to orchards and damaged local infrastructure. Strong winds at Cape Town port have also contributed to shipping delays. 

Harvesting was delayed for around three weeks but is underway again. However, growers are assessing any longer term impact. The greatest pressure is expected on easy peelers and lemons. 

Availability is likely to remain tight until late July or early August, and we are monitoring quality closely, as excess water can increase susceptibility to defects. We will continue to work with suppliers to maintain consistent supply and keep you updated.

The transitions to new season British crop have started, which should improve consistency and help to ease current supply pressure. 

The first British volumes of sweetheart cabbage have already been received, with Savoy, Curly Kale and Broccoli expected to start within the next week or so.

To ensure availability as we enter the new season, which has been made more challenging by the extreme weather last week, weight concessions will be implemented for cauliflower (no change to diameter) and  Sweetheart cabbage. 

Reduced air freight capacity from Kenya, linked to the ongoing Iran conflict, is limiting shipments. Longer transit times are also creating variable quality and shorter shelf life. We are working closely with suppliers to stabilise supply where possible.

Volumes are tightening as the Moroccan and Portuguese seasons wind down. Recent extreme heat in the UK has added pressure, with plants temporarily shutting down to protect themselves. 

We do not anticipate shortages, but the market will remain tight until crops recover.

All supply is now fully British, with volumes building steadily across our growers’ farms.

We are now transitioning to UK grown herbs. Following a very wet winter and a slow start to summer, availability will remain challenging in the short term. We expect conditions to improve from the end of the week as new fields come into production.

Shipping delays are creating some market disruption, particularly on medium sized fruit. We are working with suppliers to manage availability and minimise any impact on customers.