The Irish strawberry season has been off to a strong start, kicking off on March 18th. According to Paul Hussey, Senior Trading Manager at Donnelly Fresh Produce, the season has been progressing well so far.
"We're now in the heart of the season with strawberries coming from the outdoor tunnels. This will continue until mid-September, after which we'll return to the glasshouses, which will be replanted by then. The first flush came early, thanks to excellent weather, but now volumes are a bit lower, which is typical with the recent cloudier conditions. However, more sunshine is expected over the next few weeks, so we anticipate a boost in volume once again."
Earlier this year, Aldi strengthened its partnership with Sunglow Nurseries in a deal worth approximately €14 million. Donnelly Fresh Produce manages the strawberries from Sunglow Nurseries.
"Aldi has always been a reliable partner, willing to take all the strawberries we can supply. Currently, Ireland doesn't produce enough strawberries to meet the domestic demand, but Sunglow Nurseries has plans to expand production in time for the 2026 season," Hussey noted.
Demand for strawberries is typically high early in the season, particularly around Easter, and this year was no exception. "The warm weather created strong demand, and we expect that to continue throughout the season. We were at the Bord Bia Bloom Event earlier this month, which was a huge success. We brought along Malling Ace strawberries—known for their large size and incredible taste—and they were a major talking point at the event. It's always a pleasure to connect with consumers in person."
For more information:
Paul Hussey
Donnelly Fresh Produce
Tel.: +353 1 8908100
Email: [email protected]
www.donnelly.ie