UK fruit and veg wholesalers are reshaping operations in response to National Insurance increases and cost pressures, according to new data from wholesale order management platform Fresho.
The findings from Fresho’s 2026 UK Fruit & Veg Report show that morning processing (8am-2pm) now accounts for 36% of orders – up from 25% in 2021 – while late-night processing has nearly halved.
The annual report combines anonymised data from £1.8bn worth of transactions processed through the Fresho platform with insights from leading wholesalers and chefs.
Data also indicates that late-night processing (8pm-2am) declined from 44% to 25% between 2021 and 2025, as the traditional night-shift wholesale model is replaced by concentrated activity during standard business hours. Wholesalers are reducing reliance on expensive night-shift staffing while making the industry more appealing to younger workers.
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Founded in 2015, Fresho is an order management software platform connecting wholesalers selling fresh products with the hospitality outlets that order from them. Built around the unique needs of fresh food wholesalers, it automates and standardises the ordering process.
Cost pressures are driving significant consolidation across the UK fresh produce sector, with larger suppliers acquiring smaller operations to achieve economies of scale. Major acquisitions in 2025 include Dunsters Farm acquiring Ralph Livesey, Harlech Foodservice acquiring Oren Foods, Musgrave Group acquiring Delifresh, Sysco GB acquiring Fairfax Meadow, and Bidfresh acquiring Hodgson Fish & Salibrand.
Huw Birrell, Fresho Co-Founder, explains: “Fresho’s AI order capture tool has shown high accuracy and clear return on investment for suppliers. The efficiency that comes from directly integrating orders into systems without manual data entry is making a big difference. The UK fruit and veg wholesale industry has had to show resilience in 2025. For 2026, maintain a strong focus on margins. Increase sales, reduce costs, and sell smarter.”
