Berries are the category where demand barely dips but supply can turn on a few days of weather. A warm spell pulls a strawberry flush forward; a cold one holds it back. Shelf life is short, so the margin for a slow decision is smaller than in almost anything else we handle.
That is exactly why the relationship with the grower matters most here. When a flush arrives early, you need a partner who already knows your programme and can move fruit to you fast — not one you are calling for the first time that week.
In berries, the whole game is speed of information. The sooner you know what the field is doing, the better your week goes.
We plan the berry line around our Allied Partners — Doñana Fresa for strawberries and raspberries chief among them — so the quality and the volume are both known quantities before the season gets going.
What keeps a berry programme steady
- Early, honest reads on each flush — volume and quality, not just a forecast.
- A cold chain that holds from field to your platform without a weak link.
- Pre-agreed contingency for the fast swings a warm week brings.
Berries reward buyers who stay close. Keep the line of communication open and the category looks after itself.
