Since acquiring the remaining share of the Yorkshire Produce Centre in 2003, fruit and vegetable wholesaler Gilbert Thompson has had somewhat of a successful run.

Winner of the 2012 Re:fresh Wholesaler of the Year Award, the Yorkshire-based, family-run firm, founded in 1946 and based on the outskirts of Leeds, is now one of the country's most successful flower wholesale businesses.

Richard Thompson, director at Gilbert Thompson, believes the company's ascent into flowers has helped make the market more visually appealing for visitors. 'We operate three distinct business units, of which GT Flowers (encompassing flowers, plants and sundries) now accounts for about half the sales and employs a team of 30 people,' he explains.

Although Thompson admits that the weather has kept many customers away this season, he believes GT's flower offering is already becoming popular with the people of Leeds, and now Sheffield. 'We recently opened another flower business in Sheffield, which is just outside the wholesale market and in just one year we have done great business over there.

'I think the business works because everything from flowers and plants – there are over 100 varieties – is priced up and all under one roof. Even outside of wholesale we are seeing people come in buying bouquets for loved ones.'

The impact of Gilbert Thompson's award win at Re:fresh has also boosted other traders at the market.

Catering wholesale business RK Harris – which specialises in selling fruit and vegetables to hotels, restaurants and schools across Yorkshire – believes that the market's small size makes it a friendlier place for doing business than some of London's large wholesale markets.

'The good thing here is everyone recommends one another to customers so there is a real community feel and with good links to the M62, there are no real complaints from tenants' says Natalie Shaw of RK Harris.

With South African bananas, Pakistani mangoes and Lollo Rosso lettuce from Italy all for sale, business is good for RK Harris and Shaw confirms turnover will reach a comfortable seven-figure sum later this year.

The Yorkshire Produce Centre has downscaled a lot over the years with only a handful of traders now operating at the site, but Thompson, who also manages the market tenants' association, is content with the current system and has positive plans for the future.

'Gilbert Thompson will now look to go into more gourmet, high-end ranges of fruit and vegetables as supplying the luxury catering trade is something we have not explored enough,' says Thompson.

The veteran Yorkshire family business will now also aim to achieve BRC global standard accreditation in order to open up its customer base across the region. 'We have a real close knit group here and despite the recession we've continued to grow; the Yorkshire Produce Centre is a positive story for the fresh produce industry,' concludes Thompson.