The supermarket shelves are often a good indicator of which products are in season. At any given time you may find blank shelves where you were expecting to see beetroot, pears at twice the normal price or duck breast that looks past its best.

Seasonality can affect the taste, price, freshness and availability of the food that we regularly drop in our trolleys or online shopping baskets. What we may not consider is when these products spend most time on the road. When is the demand for haulage at its height and when are the food distribution networks at their absolute busiest?

Popular times of the year for food distribution and haulage

British food consumption tends to reach extremes at polar ends of the year – the heights of summer and winter. With BBQs, picnics and dinner parties, the summer months see consumers deviate from their standard shopping habits, while the festive holidays see us stock up on party food and all the ‘trimmings’. Unsurprisingly, haulage of fresh produce around these popular times is seriously ramped up, but food distribution schedules are largely dependent on the seasonality of the individual products.

Transporting apples

In our experience we have tended to see haulage demand for the distribution of apples peak in August, September and October with British apples often being at their best in the winter months. It is often recommended by suppliers that lorries with air cushion suspension to best preserve the fruit, meaning this type of transport can be in higher demand.

Seed potato haulage

While potatoes are generally deemed to be in season through late spring and early summer, at Waller we have seen demand for seed potato haulage and transport begin to peak as early as November in order to prepare for the Christmas roast potato rush!

Cod distribution

A lot of fish and seafood is at its most fresh and in season during the summer months, but cod is a notable exception. Heightened haulage of this particular fish will kick in around the New Year, with the first three months of each year seeing cod at its best. Often contained within covered ice boxes, fresh fish will not always require special transportation.

Haulage of strawberries

Synonymous with the great British summer, strawberries are unsurprisingly at their best from June through to September. While some strawberry farms will invite people to come and pick their own, most of us rely on the fruit being distributed to our local store, meaning strawberry haulage is in demand throughout the early summer months.

Venison distribution

A popular dish in the winter months, venison fits in with the game season that is generally recognised as starting in early November. Subsequently, demand for haulage tends to peak towards the end of the year and start of the following.

If you need assistance in moving any fresh produce throughout the calendar year, we can always help. Just get in touch with one of our logistics experts who can consult on the most efficient transport solutions for your business.