How the driest UK summer in years delivered a bumper green bean harvest for MWW

The green bean harvest season is in full swing. So far, we’ve had our biggest single week of harvesting yet, with more than 100 tonnes headed to retail shelves across the UK.

You may wonder: it’s been one of the driest growing seasons on record, so how have we achieved that? This result has been four months in the making, thanks to our forward-thinking agronomy team.

Find out more about our green bean harvest this year…

Spring preparation in action

Back in April, our agronomy team drilled the first green bean fields using precision drilling technology and applying fertiliser directly into the seed row. This approach gives every plant the best possible start, also allowing us to cut our fertiliser usage across the crop as part of our wider push towards more sustainable growing practices.

May brought with it a spell of frosts that could easily have set the crop back and limited our harvest. But our years of research and development into the best varietal selections for the UK climate meant the harvest was kept on track.

This same data has proven even more valuable as the season has worn on. As drought conditions have tightened their grip on the UK this summer, our growers have been able to draw on years of trial data to identify and plant the varieties best suited to dry conditions – a decision only possible because of the meticulous, season-on-season recording the business has invested in.

Not a drop to drink in a record-breaking dry July

Nowhere has our continued investment paid off more than in the fields themselves. July – the critical growth window for green beans – delivered just 1mm of rainfall across the country, among the driest months on record. However, this is exactly the scenario MWW's newly built on-farm reservoirs were designed for.

By storing water collected in the winter and spring months, we have water for use exactly when the crop needs it most. By investing in the reservoirs, MWW has been able to effectively imitate rainfall, irrigating fields through the drought and protecting yield potential that would otherwise have been lost.

It's a clear example of why climate resilience is vital for the fresh produce industry and it’s why we continue to plan ahead for the changing weather conditions in the years ahead. But we’re not resting on our laurels as further reservoir capacity is planned for construction this autumn, adding to the network ahead of the 2027 season.

Harvest in full swing

Four weeks into harvesting, MWW is now heading into its busiest stretch yet. In one week alone, harvesters and the processing line will handle upwards of 100 tonnes of green beans, supporting a major promotion with a leading UK retailer – a milestone moment for the season. However, it doesn't stop there as harvesting will continue for a further six weeks.

Freshness remains at the heart of the operation which is why the beans are cut in the early hours of the morning and moved to the processing line as quickly as possible, ensuring produce reaches customers at peak quality, day after day.

While we can’t control the weather, we can ensure our growers have the tools and expertise they need to pivot when extreme weather conditions threaten crops.

Learn more about how we’re dealing with the effects of climate change here.