UF News
This month, we’re pleased to introduce the next step in our sustainability journey with the launch of our dedicated Footprints webpage.
Footprints is designed to give our customers clearer visibility into the environmental impact of their purchasing, bringing CO₂ data into a simple, accessible format that supports more informed decision-making. By combining trusted data with a practical approach, Footprints helps translate complex sustainability information into something that can be used day to day.
The new webpage brings this initiative to life, offering a deeper look at how Footprints works, what the data means and how it can support your own reporting and sustainability goals.
As always, our focus is on delivering solutions that are not only meaningful but usable, helping our customers take confident steps toward more responsible sourcing without adding unnecessary complexity.
To explore Footprints in more detail, visit our website or speak to your United Fresh account manager.
May Market Information
May marks a clear turning point in the season!
After a challenging start to the year across European supply, the shift into UK production is now well underway. This brings a welcome improvement in quality, availability and overall consistency across a number of key lines.
While conditions are stabilising, the wider landscape has not fully settled. Fuel costs, logistics and input pricing continue to influence the supply chain, and although less visible day to day, they remain an underlying factor in how products are grown, moved and brought to market.
For chefs and buyers, this is a month to lean into British produce, embrace shorter supply chains and build menus around what is naturally at its best, while maintaining a level of flexibility where needed.
Seafood:
This month we’re seeing a much more balanced picture across seafood, with improved availability in several key areas and strong seasonal options emerging…
Whitefish remains a category to manage carefully, but there are good alternatives available. Coley from Iceland continues to offer a strong, reliable option, while Alaska pollock provides excellent value and sustainability credentials. These species are well suited to menus looking to maintain consistency without relying on more pressured stocks, such as Cod.
Premium farmed fish continues to perform well. Halibut remains stable, offering strong yields and consistency, while Arctic char provides a versatile and increasingly popular alternative to salmon, with a clean flavour and attractive presentation.
Meagre continues to be a strong option, with good biomass and a firm texture that works particularly well with Mediterranean-style dishes! Yum!
Flatfish are beginning to improve as we move out of spawning periods. Plaice from the North Sea is now a good seasonal choice, offering both quality and availability as the market begins to stabilise.
But a real highlight this month is Shellfish, Mussels are in excellent condition, offering outstanding provenance, sustainability and versatility!
Fresh Produce:
May is where the UK season truly begins to get exciting…!
Asparagus is now in full swing and remains one of the standout products of the month. The quality we’re seeing is excellent, and it continues to be one of the most anticipated seasonal ingredients, offering versatility across starters, sides and premium dishes.
British strawberries have also officially arrived, bringing a welcome shift toward lighter, fresher flavours. Early season fruit is performing well, with volumes building as we move through the month. Alongside this, raspberries and cherries are beginning to come into their own, adding colour and brightness to menus.
Jersey Royal potatoes are now plentiful and in fantastic condition. Their unique growing environment and delicate skins make them a key feature of the season, particularly when kept simple to let their natural flavour shine. New potatoes more broadly are also starting to feature more heavily. Just remember that they require a more delicate approach to storage and handling due to their fragile skin. Don’t chuck them about in the walk-in!
Vegetable lines are strengthening across the board. Broad beans, peas, spring greens and samphire are all coming into season, while more niche ingredients such as morel mushrooms and nettles offer chefs the opportunity to add creativity and seasonality to menus.
There are still a few transitions to manage. The Spanish broccoli season is coming to an end after a particularly difficult finish, with quality and availability impacted by earlier weather conditions. Relief is expected as we move into British broccoli in early June.
Wild garlic will also come to a close this month after a strong season, marking the end of one of spring’s most popular ingredients. So make sure you don’t miss out!
Salad supply is beginning to stabilise. Tomatoes have now fully transitioned away from Spain, with Dutch supply now dominant and early UK-grown product starting to appear. This marks a significant improvement following the well-documented issues earlier in the year. We are also starting to see the first of the English lettuce crops, including iceberg, gem and mixed leaves… An area we are especially excited to welcome!
One area to watch is carrots, where there will be a short gap in UK supply this month before the new season begins in June, meaning a temporary reliance on imported product…
Looking ahead, early peaches and nectarines will begin to appear toward the end of the month, signalling the next phase of summer fruit from our friends in the EU.
Butchery:
The lamb market begins to settle following the Easter peak. Prices, which were elevated through April, are expected to ease as seasonal demand softens and supply stabilises. This creates an opportunity to reintroduce lamb more confidently across menus, particularly as lighter, spring-led dishes begin to feature more prominently.
Across the wider protein category, cost pressures linked to fuel and logistics remain present, but there is a growing sense of stability compared to earlier in the 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: thehub@unitedfresh.co.uk
Or call us: 01789 339 106
Seasonality Information
We’ve created a quick and easy visual guide to understanding what products are in season each month!
Disclaimer – This market report is here to guide you, based on the knowledge and experience of our experienced buyers. However, many factors can still influence the market, including unforeseen extreme weather, seasonal changes, supply and demand and climate change impacts.
Don’t stop there!
Read some of our other articles here:
May Market Report 2026
Our May market report covering current foodservice supply chain issues, seasonality, and predictions.
April Market Report 2026
April market report covering current foodservice supply chain issues, seasonality, and predictions.
Understanding Water Use in Food Production
Explore how water is used in food production and how lifecycle science helps bring greater transparency to the environmental impact of food.
