December Market Information

Seafood:

Salmon is a festive staple in the UK, and as with most festive items, the price increases around the holidays due to strong demand, and we’re even seeing comms expecting prices to continue to rise into January. This does include Smoked Salmon, which is also expected to increase in December, but should remain stable in January. If you’d like to feature an alternative to your regular salmon dishes, we’d recommend Trout, with its strong provenance, and incredibly delicious texture and taste, it’s a bit of an underdog in the festive game.

Cod and Haddock are always great options during December, though unfortunately their prices are expected to remain high during this period. So, we’d recommend minimising their presence on the menu. Particularly after the unfortunate conditions in Norway where warmer sea temperatures have hindered quality of Farmed Cod, which has resulted in smaller fillets. For the fish to grow to market standards, we’ll be waiting a few more months…

Last chance to get your Plaice and Megrim Sole, as they will be out of season in January. Please keep this in mind as you plan your post-festive menus. However, Witch Sole could be a strong alternative if you are wanting a flat fish on the menu.

Smoked Fish is a non-negotiable in our festive meal, and I’m sure we aren’t the only ones. As mentioned above, Smoked Salmon will be steep in price as always, and following fresh pricing, however Smoked Haddock and Smoked Mackerel are good alternatives during this time.

Now for some more price friendly news, Mussels are again a brilliant cost-effective seafood option with stable pricing and supply into Winter.

Meat:

What meat do you have on your festive roasts? Turkey? Gammon? Well, if you haven’t decided yet that’s okay, you have plenty of options. Gammon supply is strong and stable, especially compared to Turkey which always gets a price hike in December due to the intense increase in demand and supply. We have Whole, Crowns and Breast tied available for you to order, which we would recommend pre-ordering as soon as possible to secure supply. We also have all of your festive trimmings ready and waiting, including the infamous Pigs in Blankets.

December is in the midst of game season, which means we have an abundance to offer you. Working with game specialists we stock all of your favourites, including, Duck, Goose, Rabbit, Pheasant, Venison and more. We’d love to see your creations this month, tag us on socials for a feature!

You’ll notice that Chicken and Beef pricing remains strong at this time of year and unfortunately this will be continuing into December, although we’re hoping for a reprieve in the new year.  

Fresh Produce:

Like Mariah Carey, the Brussel Sprout has been waiting all year for it’s time to shine! We have a range of sprout products available for you to order, including Whole Sprouts, Prepped Sprouts, Sprout Stalks and Sprout Tops. We recommend placing pre-orders for orders nearing the 25^th, to ensure you receive your volumes in full.

Carrots and Parsnips are currently in good supply and brilliant quality and if you’re looking for something slightly different to stand out from the crowd, why don’t you give Piccolo Parsnips or Chantenay Carrots a try this December?

We’re seeing some fantastic British Kale come into the depots, including Cavolo Nero which always give some fantastic texture to your plates. Alongside Kale, we’re seeing amazing quality British Leeks and Beetroot, both of which we would highly encourage you to try during this period due to their quality and steady price.

Now who can forget the ultimate festive veggie side – Cabbage! We have an abundance of Red and White Cabbages, and who could forget the infamous January King Cabbage!?

We love British Apples, and December is the perfect time to utilise the humble product, as they make the perfect warming comfort dish. Some different varieties include; Empire, Jonagold, Braeburn, Jazz, Cameo, Cox and of course Bramley.  Alongside Apples, you could utilise Comice or Concorde Pears, or if you’re feeling especially festive, Quince in an amazing seasonal fruit to add a different twist to your dishes.

Previously known as the “Fruit of Kings”, Medjool Dates are a the perfect option for creating indulgent desserts. It’s toffee like flavour helps to create a fudgy texture that creates a festive feel. We’re seeing a strong supply of import, and price is steady, making it a great product this December. Another great import for this month will be Cranberries, whether you use it in your festive drinks or as garnish in your dishes, nothing screams Christmas like them.

You’ll remember from last month, our seasonal transition from British to Spanish products had a bumpy start due to the devastating flash floods in Spain. Many of our salad and citrus items were affected and we saw delays in transportation too. Due to close relationships with growers, product has been arriving from the regions, and we’ve been able to lean on Moroccan product too. However, demand has remained equally as high, especially with citrus coming into December, though volumes are yet to fully meet that demand which has created a price increase on the items affected. We recommend trying to reduce your usual volume of citrus until we’re able to see more stability into the new year.

Our team is always here for any questions or queries you may have about any of the information in this report.

Email us here: hello@unitedfresh.co.uk

Or call us: 01789 339 106