The UK’s growing fascination with Halloween presents a significant opportunity for Barfoots of Botley, one of the country’s largest pumpkin growers, as they distribute over one million pumpkins in just four weeks.
Barfoots of Botley, in partnership with supply chain partner IPP, is responsible for supplying four different varieties of pumpkins to supermarkets across the UK during this bustling time of the year. In fact, in 2022 the company managed to deliver the equivalent of 40 lorry loads of pumpkins in a single day.
Paul Chilton, the company’s head of logistics and planning, attributes this year-on-year growth in pumpkin deliveries to the ever-increasing popularity of Halloween in the UK. The eight-year partnership with IPP has played a significant role in enabling Barfoots of Botley to meet the rising demand.
IPP, based in Coventry and a leading provider of pallet and box pooling solutions in Europe, collaborates with various market gardeners and growers nationwide to deliver both pumpkins and confectionery buckets for doorstep trick or treaters.
Paul explains, “This is one of our busiest times of the year, alongside the summer sweetcorn season, as we distribute over a million pumpkins that are used for carving, cooking, and decoration. The carving pumpkin is our largest variety, accounting for approximately 750,000 pumpkins.”
Handling such a vast quantity of pumpkins within a limited timeframe poses significant logistical challenges. Paul emphasizes that IPP’s ability to swiftly adapt to dynamic requirements and provide high-quality pallets has been instrumental in successfully moving their goods across the country.
Aside from pumpkins, Barfoots of Botley specializes in other exotic vegetables like sweetcorn, asparagus, sweet potato, and butternut squashes. Paul praises IPP’s reliable service and superior pallet quality, stating, “Since partnering with IPP, we receive significantly fewer broken pallets, a remarkable 100-fold reduction compared to our previous supplier.”
To cope with the spike in activity during this critical seasonal period, the two companies collaborate closely by pooling their resources. “We cultivate a large portion of our pumpkins on our farms in the south, while the partner farm in the Midlands receives pallets from IPP,” Paul explains.
Pumpkin farming entails unique challenges, as the crop’s growth is highly sensitive to water levels. Paul describes it as a technical challenge to ensure optimal conditions for pumpkin growth in preparation for the spike in demand. However, he appreciates IPP’s responsiveness and adaptability, stating that they handle such situations as part of their standard services.
Paul acknowledges the holiday season’s significance for their customers, noting that the presence of pumpkins in supermarkets often leads to increased sales of costumes, sweets, and related products. Halloween has become increasingly popular in the UK, and the large volumes of pumpkins moved by IPP for Barfoots of Botley serve as evidence.
Shelley Pierre, commercial director at IPP, comments, “We are aware of the immense popularity of Halloween in the UK, and our partnership with Barfoots of Botley demonstrates our expertise in flexibility, customer service, and product quality.”
For more information on IPP and their sustainable food and drink packaging solutions, visit www.ipp-pooling.com or find IPP Pooling on LinkedIn.
