When European field lettuce disappears in November, Egyptian iceberg lettuce steps in. Grown on sandy reclaimed land in the Nile Delta and along the desert road farms, Egyptian iceberg and romaine reach harvest maturity right as Spain and Italy taper off, giving importers a reliable counter-season leaf programme from November to April. Heads are cut in the cool early-morning hours, vacuum cooled within hours of harvest, and loaded from Alexandria or Damietta with transit times of 3–7 days to most Mediterranean and Gulf ports.
This guide covers what a buyer actually needs to specify on a purchase order: head counts and calibers, film-wrapped versus naked packing, carton formats, cold-chain checkpoints and how Egyptian lettuce fits into a mixed vegetable container. PEIVANA operates as the flexible Egyptian exporter — we build mid-size and mixed programmes rather than demanding full-container single-product commitments, and we turn quotation requests around the same day.
Varieties and Grades
Iceberg (crisphead) is the export workhorse: dense, well-closed heads with 4–6 wrapper leaves removed at trimming, bright green outer colour and crisp white-green interior. Export grade requires compact heads free of tip burn, internal rib discoloration and seed-stalk formation.
Romaine (cos) ships as whole heads or as romaine hearts (twin- or triple-packed in film sleeves). Hearts are the premium item for food service and retail; whole romaine suits wholesale markets. Both are graded Class I under UNECE FFV-22 standards: heads must be intact, sound, fresh in appearance, free of pest damage and practically free of soil.
Little gem and baby cos are available on request for retail programmes, usually flow-packed in pairs.
Sizes & Calibers
| Product | Head weight | Count per carton | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceberg — large | 550–800 g | 8–9 | Retail, wholesale markets |
| Iceberg — standard | 450–550 g | 10 | Retail film-wrapped programmes |
| Iceberg — small | 350–450 g | 12 | Food service, catering |
| Romaine whole | 350–600 g | 9–12 | Wholesale, processing |
| Romaine hearts | 180–250 g each | Twin packs × 9–12 | Retail, HORECA |
Counts follow the standard 60×40 cm carton footprint. Buyers should specify count, not just weight band — a “10-count iceberg” instruction removes ambiguity at the packhouse.
Packing Formats
| Format | Carton | Net weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceberg film-wrapped | 60×40 open-top carton | 8–10 kg | Each head in perforated LDPE film, retail-ready |
| Iceberg naked (jumble) | 60×40 carton + liner | 9–10 kg | Wholesale markets, lower cost |
| Romaine hearts twin pack | 60×40 carton | 9–12 twin packs | Flow-pack film, EAN barcode on request |
| Romaine whole | 60×40 carton | 7–9 kg | Liner to retain humidity |
Private-label film print, PLU stickers and mixed-count pallets are available for retail programmes. Standard palletisation is 80–100 cartons per pallet, 20–24 pallets per 40′ reefer.
Season and Logistics
The Egyptian lettuce window runs November through April, with peak volume and best head density from December to March. Early November and late April heads run slightly lighter, so counts shift accordingly. Shipments load at Alexandria and Damietta, with Sokhna serving Gulf and Red Sea destinations. Reefers run at 0–1 °C with 95% RH; lettuce must never be co-loaded with ethylene producers such as melons or tomatoes — ethylene causes russet spotting on midribs within days. See the full Egyptian produce seasons calendar for how lettuce overlaps with other winter vegetables.
QC Checkpoints Buyers Should Ask For
- Vacuum cooling record — core temperature pulled to 1–2 °C within 2–4 hours of cutting; ask for the cooling log per lot.
- Head firmness and trim — well-closed heads, butt cut clean and flat, milky latex wiped, no more than the permitted wrapper-leaf count.
- Defect tolerances — Class I allows max 10% by number not satisfying the class but meeting Class II; zero tolerance for decay at loading.
- Pesticide residues — MRL analysis per EU 396/2005 from an accredited lab, per lot on request.
- Loading inspection — pulp temperatures recorded at door, data logger placed in every container.
Mixed-Container Fit
Lettuce rarely fills a container alone for mid-size buyers — and it doesn’t have to. Iceberg and romaine consolidate cleanly with other 0 °C, high-humidity winter vegetables: green beans, spring onions, celery, cabbage and herbs. A typical mixed produce container from Egypt might carry 8 pallets of iceberg, 6 of romaine hearts and 10 of green beans. For European buyers bridging the winter gap, our Europe counter-season container guide shows how lettuce anchors a November–April programme.
FAQ
What is the minimum order quantity for Egyptian iceberg lettuce?
PEIVANA works with mid-size programmes: from a few pallets inside a mixed reefer up to weekly full containers. You do not need to commit to a full container of lettuce alone.
How long does Egyptian iceberg keep after arrival?
Properly vacuum-cooled, film-wrapped iceberg held at 0–1 °C typically gives 14–21 days from harvest, leaving 7–14 days of shelf life after a Mediterranean transit.
Can you pack under our private label?
Yes — printed film, carton branding and barcodes are available for programme volumes; artwork lead time is usually 2–3 weeks.
Request a Quotation
Send us your counts, packing spec and destination port and we will return a full offer — usually the same day. Use the contact form or message us directly on WhatsApp.