A tenant at New Spitalfields Market has impressed visitors from China to the extent that they want him to work with them in establishing a new wholesale market in Shandong province.
Ronny Liu, director of Sunnyfield Veg and Cook’s Delights at the east London market, had a visit from representatives of Weifang Municipal People’s Government last week, and visitors have extended an invitation to a delegation from the Fresh Produce Consortium to visit next month.
Liu told FPJ: “Wang Shuhua, the vice-mayor of Weifang Municipal People’s Government, was very interested in Spitalfields Market when I showed him around and introduced him to what we do here. Weifang is a very high-profile area in terms of fruit and vegetable imports and exports.
“My supplier there put him in touch with me and when he came to Spitalfields he loved it. He told me they have a project and land in Weifang because they want to open a new wholesale market and he’d like the delegation from the FPC to come and visit”
Liu hopes the FPC delegation will be able to take up the invitation for the expenses-paid extension to their trip from the Weifang local government in order to further trade.
“If this project becomes a reality, it is a big step forward for the UK fruit and vegetable industry and could be a really big opportunity,” he said.
The FPC trip will already take in visits to growers, packhouses and markets as well as a trade food exhibition. Nigel Jenney, FPC chief executive, said: “These outward trade missions are part of what we offer to members to help build trading relationships.”
FPC has a relationship with China that was cemented during its Annual Dinner this year.
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