Buying Fresh Fruit in Bulk: Fuji Apples, Red Grapes, Pomegranates, Mandarins
By Elaff Trade Co.Published 5 min read
Buying fresh fruit in bulk means ordering by the full container and agreeing the variety, size, grade, packing and shipping terms in writing with your wholesale fresh fruit supplier. Fresh fruit is perishable, so check the season, the documents and the cold-chain plan before you commit.
Think in containers
Frozen food and dry goods can be shipped in many sizes, but fresh fruit is normally bought by the full container, usually a 40-foot refrigerated container (FCL). A full container keeps the fruit at one steady temperature, ships on one booking and costs less per carton than small loads. Some of our fresh fruit listings show a minimum order of one 40 ft container, and the minimum for each product is on its own page.
Because the order is large, small mistakes are expensive. Settle every point below before you pay a deposit.
Size and grade
Size is written differently for each fruit:
- Grapes are sized by the diameter of each berry in millimetres. Our Fresh Red Grapes are offered in A grade, 24, 26 and 28 mm.
- Citrus is sized by count, the number of fruit in a carton. A lower count means bigger fruit. Our Valencia mandarin listing shows counts from 40 to 113 per box.
- Apples are sized by diameter or by count per carton, together with colour and a grade such as A grade or Class 1.
Agree the size range, the colour, the sugar level (Brix) and the share of defects you accept. A grade on its own means little unless the specification explains it.
Packing
Ask how the fruit is packed, because it affects both protection and how many cartons fit in the container:
- Our Fuji apple listing describes plastic-crate packing, 150 pieces per carton.
- The red grape listing describes 6.5 kg plastic crates.
- The Valencia mandarin listing describes open cartons of 14 kg.
- Our pomegranate listing offers bulk packaging.
Ask for the cartons per pallet and the cartons per container, and ask for your own labels or barcodes if you need them.
What to know about each fruit
- Fuji apples are sweet, crisp and juicy, and they store well, which makes them a practical choice for long shipments. Ask about size, colour and firmness.
- Red grapes bruise easily and lose quality quickly after harvest, so the packing and the cold chain matter more than for apples. Check the berry size, the colour and how firmly the berries hold to the stem.
- Pomegranates have a thick rind that protects the fruit. Ask for the size or the weight per fruit, the colour of the rind and how many are in a carton.
- Valencia mandarins are sold by count per box. Our listing gives a sugar level (Brix) of about 9 to 14 percent, which you should confirm with a sample.
Season and timing
Fresh fruit is harvested in a narrow window, and quality is best close to harvest. Our grape listing speaks of fruit harvested in season, and the mandarin listing shows delivery from May to August. Ask which harvest your quote is for, and plan your shipping date around it, because late loading means older fruit on arrival.
Documents and rules
Fresh fruit usually needs more paperwork than frozen food. Typical documents are:
- Commercial invoice and packing list.
- Bill of lading.
- Certificate of origin.
- Phytosanitary certificate, issued by the exporting country's plant-health authority.
- Any extra certificate your country asks for, such as proof of a cold treatment.
Rules differ by country and fruit, so confirm them with your customs broker before ordering. This matters most when you buy for supermarkets in the Gulf, the UK, the USA or South Africa, because each market applies its own plant-health, pesticide residue and labelling rules. If your market asks for halal or food-safety certificates, read our guide to halal and HACCP certification.
Shipping and temperature
Each fruit has its own best temperature and ventilation, so the refrigerated container must be set for your fruit. Some fruit give off ethylene gas, which speeds up ripening of others, so mixing different fruit in one container needs advice from your shipper. Our listings mention CIF and CNF as well as FOB, so you can ask us to arrange the freight. Our guide to EXW, FOB and CNF explains what each term means.
Inspection and claims
Hire an independent inspector to check size, colour, sugar level, firmness, decay and packing before the container is loaded. Keep the temperature record from the container, and compare the fruit with the agreed specification as soon as it arrives. Photographs and dates make any claim much easier.
How to order from Elaff Trade Co.
Browse the fresh fruits collection, then send us an inquiry with the fruit, the size, the packing, your destination port and your preferred trade term. If this is your first import, read our guide to starting small first.
