News

Fresh Supply of French Apples into Ireland

As late summer turns into autumn, France begins its busiest harvest of the year — the apple season. France is among Europe’s largest apple producers, with well-known varieties such as Gala, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn ready to enter markets across the continent.

For Ireland, French apples are a staple import. As consumer demand rises through September and October, supermarkets and wholesalers rely on fast, temperature-controlled logistics to keep shelves stocked. At HANNON Transport, we play a key role in making this possible — ensuring that French apples arrive in Ireland in peak condition.

France–Ireland Apple Trade: A Seasonal Surge

Each year, thousands of tonnes of French apples are imported into Ireland during the peak harvest window. With Gala and Golden Delicious remaining consumer favourites, volumes are expected to remain strong across late August, September, and October 2025.

Popular French Varieties for Ireland:

• Gala — crisp and sweet, ideal for early season imports

• Golden Delicious — consistent supply and long shelf life

• Braeburn — firm, tangy and suited for late-season shipments

• Granny Smith — popular for baking and retail versatility

This sustained demand places pressure on supply chains — where timeliness, handling, and cold chain integrity all make the difference between fresh fruit arriving in premium condition, or disappointing on arrival.

The Challenges of Apple Transport

Apples are resilient but not without their sensitivities. To protect quality during transit from orchard to Irish retailer, specific handling conditions must be maintained:

• Temperature control: Optimal transport range is +2°C to +4°C. Too warm and fruit ripens early, too cold and risk of chilling injury increases.

• Humidity regulation: Apples require stable humidity to retain firmness and prevent shrivelling.

• Gentle handling: Bruising during loading and unloading reduces shelf life and consumer value.

These operational challenges demand a logistics partner with the expertise and infrastructure to manage them consistently — particularly during the high-volume weeks of the harvest season.

How HANNON Transport Supports the French Apple Season

At HANNON Transport, our end-to-end service is built to support fresh fruit importers, wholesalers, and retailers moving French apples into Ireland.

Our Service Capabilities:

• Temperature-controlled trailers — keeping fruit within precise ranges for freshness and shelf life

• Humidity control — protecting firmness and texture throughout the journey

• High-frequency departures — ensuring fast transit times and consistent supply into Ireland

• Flexible groupage and full load options — from a single pallet to a dedicated trailer

• Own fleet and facilities — total operational control from collection to delivery

• In-house customs clearance — ensuring smooth transit across the GB landbridge

By combining reliable scheduling with strict cold chain integrity, we help Irish businesses plan their supply chain with confidence through the busy harvest period

Preparing for the 2025 Apple Season

With the French apple season fast approaching, Irish importers and retailers are already preparing for the seasonal surge. Early planning and reliable logistics partnerships are critical to ensuring product availability, minimising food waste, and meeting consumer expectations.

At HANNON Transport, we provide the trusted routes, infrastructure, and expertise to keep French apples moving smoothly into Ireland — ready for the peak season ahead.

What HANNON Transport Delivers

HANNON Transport provides temperature-controlled groupage and full load 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 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: [FR–IE]

• HS Codes: 080810 — Apples, fresh

• Handling Conditions: +2°C to +4°C; 90–95% RH

• Service Capabilities: Groupage [LTL], Full Load [FTL], Dual-Temperature Trailers, Temperature-Controlled Logistics, Own Fleet, In-House Customs Clearance [EU–NI] [EU–ROI] [NI–ROI]