Since the move from the old site to the new one in 2008, the downsized Western International Market has trimmed the number of tenants and honed its product offer.
These days, the market is the number-one supplier of exotic fruit and veg in London, and its customer base also includes buyers from other, bigger, markets. With plenty of projects in the pipeline, Western International is staying afloat when other wholesale markets are struggling, and those who were sceptical about the downsizing have had to eat their words. “There was drama in the beginning but we’re quite settled now,” says market manager Richard Day. “If you look at any of the new developments for other markets, they’re all going to reduce in size. We were lucky that we managed to fill all the units, and now there is even a waiting list.”
Ironically, the fact that it is smaller is probably the key to its success. Having a clearly defined niche sets it apart from its competitors. “Being so close to the airport, we get more of a choice of exotic products. The type of products we sell has changed since I got into the business some 26 years ago. Then it was mostly home-grown produce, now it’s exotics,” explains Day.
Looking at the future, he thinks a composite market would be good. “I think there is a lot of potential in that idea. We’ve got a bit of land around us, as does Spitalfields. We should be trying to consolidate it all.”
If the idea of a composite market were to become reality, the flower section could grow significantly. Eight out of the 10 flower wholesalers Western International used to have were lost in the move, something Day regrets. “It’s a shame, but they don’t need the same facilities. They also see themselves differently; they don’t want to be around the dirt.”
Not that there is much dirt at Western International, at least not compared to some other markets. Here, the tenants pride themselves on how clean and tidy the market is kept, and its eco-credentials. “We recycle about 95 per cent of our waste on site. We’ve led the way in terms of moving away from outsourcing our waste to recycling in-house.”
Another eco-project underway is making the market carbon neutral by installing P/V-photo panels. The panels work on daylight, not just sunlight, so they generate continuous energy going back into the grid. “We’re talking about multi-million pound savings. It will be the biggest project in the borough.”
If successful, the venture will provide a much-needed alternative source of revenue. This is crucial given that, as Day puts it, “it’s hard to make money on fruit and veg”.
The hope is that the younger generation will turn things around. An ongoing project aims to get schoolchildren interested in fresh produce and, since the launch three years ago, several local schools have visited the market and a farm to learn about the provenance of the exotic produce found at the market and the production process of the home-grown fruit and vegetables on offer. The children also get to bring back fresh produce to sell at the school.
It was Covent Garden’s Sprout Project that got Day thinking about what Western International could do along the same lines.
After trialling the project it proved so successful that it expanded into providing the schools with their own allotments, where the children get to grow their own fruit and veg. “We can do it in a way that suits them - for instance in one of the schools, Lyndon Bennett School for disabled children, we have put in window boxes where they grow strawberries and peas.”
The allotments are landscaped by Royal Buckinghamshire Gardeners and funded by the market, not by the schools. Day sees it not only as a good cause, but as good marketing activity. “The children are our future customers,” he points out. -
Q&A
Andrew Owen - Owner of Owen & Owen
How is business at the moment?
“Not too bad. I’m the fifth generation in the business. We sell mainly mainline fruit - oranges, grapes and apples from the southern hemisphere.”
What did you think of the BBC documentary about the wholesale markets?
“I don’t think it showed them in a particularly good light. It didn’t do them any favours. I’m quite relieved they haven’t been here.”
What is the future of the market?
“Our customer base is dwindling and our expenses are going up. Our margins are getting squeezed. The market is now heavily geared towards Indian and Pakistani customers.”
Bob Webster - Director of HG Walker
How would you describe the market?
“We pride ourselves on the market being nice and clean. Some of the other markets are ‘pile ‘em high sell ‘em cheap’. We have a different approach.”
How is it different?
“We get a wider range of products and are able to offer more. We’ve got very good porters who know exactly what the customers want. People can phone in their orders the night before or order via their iPad.”
Will you be affected by the Olympics?
“During the Olympics I think the other markets are going to suffer whereas we haven’t got many traffic restrictions. I’m looking to perhaps open between 9-10 in the evening during the Olympics.”
William Hill - Owner of WT Hill & Sons
How is business at the moment?
“It’s a bit slow, the bad weather is affecting it.”
How would you describe the market?
“I think it’s a very clean and well-run market compared to the old one.”
What is the future of the market?
“The whole country is a bit in the doldrums at the moment. There aren’t as many greengrocers as there used to be.”
Rob Taylor - Owner of WJ Holliman Ltd
How is business at the moment?
“I can’t complain. When the weather is decent we do well in soft fruit.”
Who are your customers?
“Our customers are the small retailers but they’ve practically been put out of business by the supermarkets.”
What is the future of the market?
“It’s the ethnic minorities keeping the market afloat. They like to buy fresh produce from the greengrocers rather than pre-packed stuff from supermarkets. The trouble is, the younger generation shop at supermarkets for convenience.”
Vishram Harji- Manager of Saliko
How is business at the moment?
“It’s very quiet at the moment but veg from Kenya and South Africa and mangoes from Pakistan are selling well.”
Who are your customers?
“Our customers are local small retailers but also from Croydon, Manchester, and Spitalfields and Bradford because we sell a lot of exotics.”
What is the future of the market?
“Unfortunately we lost a lot of customers when we moved to the new site because we don’t have as much parking here.”
