News

Harvest Season Logistics: Moving Fresh Produce During the Autumn Season

As the autumn harvest season gets underway across Europe, supply chains begin handling changing volumes of fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV) moving from growers, packers and distribution hubs to markets across Ireland and mainland Europe. For growers, exporters, importers and wholesalers, one of the biggest practical challenges is ensuring there is reliable transport available when produce is ready to move.

Products including apples, pears, pumpkins, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and leafy vegetables all form part of the wider autumn fresh produce season. While each product has its own transport requirements, timing, handling and maintaining suitable conditions throughout the journey remain important considerations for businesses managing seasonal supply.

Across Europe, the Netherlands, Belgium and France play important roles within fresh produce distribution networks. Growing regions, wholesale markets and consolidation hubs connect suppliers with customers across Europe, while locations such as the Rungis International Market near Paris remain important centres for the movement and distribution of fresh produce.

At HANNON Transport, we specialise in moving temperature-sensitive fresh produce between Europe and Ireland, providing the transport planning, equipment and operational control required to move seasonal consignments efficiently from collection through to final delivery.

The Challenge of Autumn Harvest Logistics

The autumn harvest season can create additional pressure throughout the fresh produce supply chain.

Harvest schedules can result in changing volumes over relatively short periods, while growers, packers and wholesalers may need transport arranged around specific collection times and delivery requirements. Multiple suppliers and collection points can also add complexity to the movement of seasonal produce.

Common challenges during autumn fresh produce transport include:

• Managing changing seasonal volumes
• Coordinating collections from multiple suppliers
• Maintaining the required transport conditions
• Protecting produce during loading and handling
• Meeting agreed delivery windows
• Planning transport around harvest and packing schedules

For businesses involved in fresh produce supply chains, having the right transport arrangements in place is an important part of keeping goods moving efficiently throughout the season.

Moving Fresh Produce Under Controlled Conditions

The transport requirements for autumn produce can vary depending on the product, packaging, preparation and customer specification.

Apples and pears, for example, form an important part of the autumn fruit season, while vegetables including carrots, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale are also widely associated with autumn production across European growing regions. These products can have different requirements, meaning transport planning needs to reflect the individual consignment.

At HANNON Transport, our approach combines suitable temperature-controlled equipment, internal monitoring systems and experienced operational teams to manage fresh produce movements throughout the journey.

Our capabilities include:

• Temperature-controlled transport for fresh produce
• Internal temperature monitoring systems
• Refrigerated equipment
• Dual-temperature trailer capability
• Controlled loading and handling procedures
• Transport planning around collection and delivery requirements

These processes allow our teams to manage the transport requirements of individual consignments while maintaining the appropriate conditions from collection through to delivery.

During the busy harvest season, reliable transit times are just as important as suitable transport conditions. Having established transport schedules allows businesses to plan collections and deliveries around the movement of seasonal produce.

Supporting Complex European Fresh Produce Supply Chains

The autumn harvest season connects growing regions, packers, wholesalers, distribution hubs and retailers across Europe.

The Benelux region plays an important role within European fresh produce distribution. The Netherlands and Belgium provide key connections between suppliers, logistics hubs and consumer markets, supporting the movement of fresh fruit and vegetables across the wider European supply chain.

France is also an important source and distribution market for seasonal produce. From growing regions to major wholesale locations, fresh produce moves through established supply networks before continuing to destinations across Europe and Ireland.

HANNON supports businesses moving fresh produce between key European markets and Ireland through transport solutions designed around individual consignment requirements.

Our services include:

• Groupage (LTL) for consolidated fresh produce movements
• Full load (FTL) transport options
• Temperature-controlled European road freight
• Multi-supplier collection coordination
• Cross-docking and consolidation
• Transport planning around agreed delivery schedules

During the autumn season, produce may move alongside other compatible fresh products within consolidated loads. Careful trailer planning helps ensure consignments are configured around their individual transport requirements.

With established services connecting Ireland with key European lanes including Netherlands–Ireland (NL–IE), Belgium–Ireland (BE–IE) and France–Ireland (FR–IE), HANNON supports the movement of seasonal fresh produce throughout the European supply chain.

Managing Changing Volumes During Harvest Season

One of the defining features of the autumn harvest season is that transport requirements can change as production volumes develop.

A supplier may require transport for a smaller number of pallets one week and larger volumes the next. Collection points can change, while wholesalers and importers may adjust purchasing requirements in response to availability and customer demand.

Having access to both groupage (LTL) and full load (FTL) transport gives businesses flexibility when planning seasonal movements.

HANNON helps customers manage these changing requirements through:

• Reliable European transport services
• Flexible groupage and full load options
• Temperature-controlled equipment
• Internal operational monitoring
• Multi-supplier collection coordination
• Experienced transport planning

By combining suitable equipment, experienced people and established operational processes, HANNON helps businesses keep fresh produce moving efficiently throughout the autumn season.

Talk to HANNON About Your Autumn Harvest Logistics

If your business is moving fresh produce during the autumn harvest season, HANNON can support your transport requirements between mainland Europe and Ireland.

Talk to us about your collection points, destinations, shipment volumes and delivery requirements. We can help identify the appropriate transport arrangements for your seasonal produce movements.

Get in touch today to discuss your requirements.

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 for fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV), including fruits et légumes (FEL), between the Netherlands and Ireland (NL–IE), Belgium and Ireland (BE–IE), and across other key European lanes.

Our services support food and fresh produce importers, wholesalers and distributors who require reliable access to and from Europe, with flexible collection options, customs support and temperature-controlled transport from collection through to final delivery.

Transport & Handling

Routes:

NL–IE, BE–IE, FR–IE

Products:

Apples, pears, pumpkins, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and other seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables.

HS Codes:

• 08081000 – Apples, fresh
• 08083000 – Pears, fresh
• 07099390 – Pumpkins, squash and gourds, fresh or chilled
• 07061000 – Carrots and turnips, fresh or chilled
• 07041000 – Cauliflowers and headed broccoli, fresh or chilled
• 07049010 – White cabbage and red cabbage, fresh or chilled

Handling Conditions:

Temperature-controlled transport according to the requirements of the individual product, packaging and customer specification.

Service Capabilities:
• Groupage [LTL]
• Full Load [FTL]
• Dual-Temperature Trailers
• Temperature-Controlled Logistics
• In-House Customs Clearance
• Own Fleet & Drivers
• Just-in-Time Delivery