Covent Garden Market Authority

Truly magnificent Japanese fresh fruit is trending in London right now and there’s no denying it can appear eye-wateringly expensive. carries an extensive and very popular range and Jason explains to .bavin why a box of 5 peaches can fetch £120, a bunch of Muscat grapes is worth £65 and two boxed mangoes are £95. There are no shortage of retail and catering customers who recognise the intrinsic value of fruit that is not just grown, but truly nurtured with love, and Jason says having them here in the market mix adds significant value to Buyers’ Walk and the rest of NCGM.

🍓 Earlier this week in Buyers’ Walk held a rather special strawberry tasting. 🍓

Gary Marshall walks through six varieties currently in stock - each one different in sweetness, texture, and character. The kind of thing that reminds you just how many variances of a single fruit there are.

The judges were: Cheryl Cohen – Queen of Markets; Sarah Mooney - Sauce of Love; Lina Saad - TV chef and author; Alice Shields – Good Food; Paul Murphy - Yes Chef; and Gary Marshall himself - Bevington Salads.

The varieties were: Florice, from Agri Fruit, Somerset; Malling Ace, from Hugh Lowe Farms, Kent; Malling Allure from FruitWay Farm, Oxford, Sonsation, from Hoogstraten, Belgium; Malling Centenary, from Mockbeggar Farm, Kent; and Christine, from Tolhurst Organic Farm, Pangbourne

The results? Coming soon online with . Watch this space.

strawberry

Having been located at the market for several years, has taken the opportunity to become a traditional wholesaler in recent months, by opening its units up onto the newly completed Buyers’ Walk. Jason and Kamil talk to .bavin through their transition from customer to competitor, their expanding and outstanding product range, and answer the age-old question: Retailer or Wholesaler, which is better? There’s only one way to find out - no not, a fight, just watch the film!!

Kamil, centre, co-owner of , explains his retail, restaurant and wholesale business to .bavin - the group has four retail outlets and serves many more; it also services restaurants and foodservice clientele. Kamil began coming to the market to source French and Italian product he couldn’t find elsewhere. But he saw great value in the environment and community, so set up a hub here, run by Jason, right, to source and supply premium produce to his own business and a growing customer network. Since the new Buyer’s Walk was completed in January, the firm has also extended its wide-ranging offer to clients there, to great effect.

Keep watching this feed to find out what’s better - wholesale or retail, how a customer can transition seamlessly into being a competitor - without losing friends! and where you can buy a bunch of grapes for £66 and five peaches for £100. We kid you not 🙂

In the last of the series on and Nick shares his top tip for suppliers with .bavin - If you want to sell your fresh produce successfully and profitably through a wholesale market, look to establish a relationship with one wholesaler, rather than spreading it across the market.