News

The Dutch Greenhouse Season and Ireland’s Produce Supply Chain

From April through October, greenhouse production across the Netherlands moves into its most active phase. During these months, large volumes of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other vegetables are harvested daily and distributed across European markets.

For Irish importers and wholesalers, this seasonal peak plays a key role in maintaining consistent availability of fresh produce. Dutch greenhouse growers supply a significant share of vegetables sold across Irish retail, wholesale, and foodservice channels.

Because these products are highly perishable, the success of this trade flow depends on transport networks that can move produce quickly while maintaining strict temperature control. Efficient logistics between the Netherlands and Ireland are therefore essential to keeping supply chains running smoothly during the greenhouse season.

Why the Netherlands Remains Europe’s Fresh Produce Hub

The Netherlands has developed one of the most advanced greenhouse industries in the world. Modern glasshouse complexes combine precision climate control, hydroponic growing systems, and high-efficiency lighting to deliver predictable yields and consistent product quality.

This large-scale production supports significant export flows across Northern Europe.

Key crops produced within the Dutch greenhouse sector include:

• Tomatoes – more than 770,000 tonnes annually

• Peppers – approximately 435,000 tonnes per year

• Cucumbers – around 400,000 tonnes annually

These vegetables move quickly from growers to European wholesale markets, retail distribution centres, and foodservice suppliers.

For Irish buyers, the Netherlands functions as a central sourcing hub where produce from Dutch growers and neighbouring Belgian producers can be consolidated before export.

Connecting Dutch Growers with Irish Importers

Moving fresh produce from greenhouse regions in the Netherlands to customers across Ireland requires reliable and predictable transport schedules.

HANNON Transport operates temperature-controlled groupage and full load services between the Netherlands and Ireland, enabling growers, exporters, and wholesalers to supply the Irish market efficiently.

Typical transport schedule:

This high-frequency schedule ensures that vegetables harvested in the Netherlands can reach Irish distribution centres within a tightly managed delivery window.

Our facility in Poeldijk, located in the centre of the Dutch greenhouse region, allows shipments from multiple suppliers to be consolidated before departure to Ireland.

Groupage Logistics for Multi-Supplier Produce Imports

Irish produce buyers often source from several growers or exporters at once. As a result, shipments frequently consist of mixed pallet quantities rather than full trailer loads from a single supplier.

HANNON’s groupage (LTL) service is designed to support exactly this type of supply chain.

Through consolidation at our Dutch operations, we can combine pallets from multiple growers into one efficient transport movement to Ireland.

This approach allows customers to:

• Import produce from multiple suppliers in a single shipment

• Ship anything from one pallet to larger part loads

• Maintain regular deliveries without waiting to fill a full trailer

• Optimise transport costs while maintaining speed and reliability

Where larger volumes are required, full load (FTL) transport is also available.

Maintaining Temperature Control from Collection to Delivery

Fresh vegetables require careful handling to preserve shelf life and maintain product quality throughout the journey.

HANNON operates a fleet of temperature-controlled trailers designed specifically for chilled food logistics, supporting a wide range of fresh produce shipments.

Our capabilities include:

• Chilled and dual-temperature trailers suitable for mixed produce loads

• Real-time Track & Trace visibility throughout the journey

• Strict cold chain management from collection to final delivery

• Planner-led trailer configuration to match the requirements of each shipment

These systems ensure that vegetables collected in Dutch greenhouse regions arrive in Ireland in optimal condition for distribution.

Preparing for the Peak Greenhouse Season

As Dutch greenhouse production ramps up through spring and summer, Irish produce buyers often experience higher volumes and increased sourcing activity.

Importers typically need to coordinate:

• Collections from multiple growers

• Strict temperature-controlled transport

• Reliable delivery schedules across Ireland

• Customs and landbridge transit requirements

HANNON Transport already supports hundreds of businesses moving fresh produce between mainland Europe and Ireland.

With our own fleet, facilities, and operational teams in Ireland and the Netherlands, we provide the reliability and operational control required to support time-sensitive fresh produce supply chains.

If you are planning produce imports during the upcoming greenhouse season, aligning transport capacity early can help ensure consistent supply and avoid disruption.

Talk to HANNON About Your Fresh Produce Transport

If you source vegetables from the Netherlands or Belgium, HANNON Transport can help you move produce efficiently between mainland Europe and Ireland.

Talk to us about how we can support your supply chain with temperature-controlled groupage and full-load services designed for fresh produce logistics.

Get in touch today to discuss your requirements.

📧 sales@hannontransport.com

📞 +44 28 9265 1441

What HANNON Transport Delivers

HANNON Transport provides temperature-controlled groupage logistics between Ireland and Europe.

We operate high-frequency groupage (LTL) and full load (FTL) services between Netherlands and Ireland (NL–IE), Belgium and Ireland (BE–IE), France and Ireland (FR – IE) and across other key European lanes.

Our services are trusted by food and fresh produce importers, wholesalers, and distributors who require fast, reliable access to and from Europe—with full customs compliance, flexible collection options, and secure temperature control from first pallet to final delivery.

Transport & Handling

Routes: NL–IE

HS Codes:
07020000 – Tomatoes, fresh or chilled
07096010 – Sweet peppers, fresh or chilled
07070005 – Cucumbers, fresh or chilled

Handling Conditions:
Typical chilled range +4°C to +7°C depending on product, high humidity preferred to maintain freshness.

Service Capabilities:
Groupage (LTL), Full Load (FTL), Dual-Temperature Trailers, Chilled Transport, Cross-Docking, Customs Clearance (EU–NI, EU–ROI, NI–ROI), Temperature-Controlled Logistics, Own Fleet Operations, Real-Time Track & Trace, Just-in-Time Delivery.