With drought conditions across the UK and further afield on mainland Europe causing growers major challenges, this update focuses on letting customers know what to reasonably expect in the weeks and months ahead.

Despite the challenges of planting, growing and harvesting this season, a walk round our produce store recently looking for potential issues revealed we have good product. This is despite our produce buyers being faced with some of the toughest product sourcing, pricing and quality challenges we can remember.

Local suppliers of salad products (Lollo Rosso, Oakleaf and Iceberg) and as we progress into the Autumn (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes and Romanesco) have been particularly good and holding up quality wise. Our recent post here outlines this in further detail.

The latest updates on crops from further afield:

Onions
British onion volume is expected to be down this year by 20-25% due to bulbs having stopped bulking properly under heat and water stress. Disease and quality problems due to storage issues could knock up to another 10% off marketable yield.
Carrots
2026 is looking worse for this crop too! As commercial carrots effectively stop developing under prolonged high temperatures, irrigation has been crucial. These challenges mean UK carrot stocks could run out earlier than normal in Spring of 2027, requiring imports with the inevitable price increases associated with such a scenario. With most of the UK crop not yet lifted, regional variations will affect this outlook.
Brassicas
Arguably the worst performing so far! On the back of a poor year for broccoli and cauliflower in 2025 that was down 15% and 11% respectively year-on-year, broccoli growers are reporting 50% below expectations for 2026. The problem isn’t simply plant death. Heads aren’t reaching specification, so growers sometimes need two smaller heads to achieve a standard pack weight. Predications do vary though – whilst Tenderstem™ broccoli yields are forecast up to 30% down it is not the 50% reduction during the previous heat episode.
Cauliflower
With much of the important autumn/winter cauliflower crop planted during the extremely dry June/July period, growers and supply chain analysts are warning that poor establishment and heat stress are likely to create shortages. Whilst the 2025 brassica sector in 2025 was concerning, the 2026 moisture deficit has been substantially more extreme.
Cabbage
With no data on this crop thus far, anecdotal evidence points to similar stories as above.
Imports
With the normal safety valve of looking to imported vegetables to help solve these current challenges in the UK, Spanish and Dutch producers are experiencing similar and in some situations worse conditions.
Stay patient and adopt a flexible approach
Whilst this outlook perhaps paints a rather worrying situation, Williamson Foodservice will continue to use its supply chain knowledge, contacts and dedication to sourcing the best produce available as it always does. We ask customers to remain patient, and take as flexible an approach to menu planning as possible to counteract these unique conditions.

We have a strong commitment to the highest quality standards but if you have any comments or observations please do get in touch.

Thanks for reading!