Wild Harvest has officially opened its new units at New Covent Garden Market. The high-end produce supplier invited around 120 customers, including a coterie of chefs from various Michelin-starred restaurants, to the south London facility for what MD Richard Walker called a "celebration of food".
The Brakes Group-owned firm decided to spread itself at a time when the entire market is being prepared for an overhaul, but was adamant that it could not wait for a redevelopment it believes might take 18 months to complete. Started as a specialist in mushroom foraging, Wild Harvest has doubled its turnover to £6m in the last five years and commercial manager Tim Lee said: "There was an opportunity with the units next door becoming available and this was a necessary expansion after a big uplift in Q4 2011."
Although Walker said New Covent Garden compares unfavourably with other European wholesale markets - he said it was "so backwards in comparison with Rungis" - there was never any question of Wild Harvest moving out. "We simply have to be a part of it. New Covent Garden still has an image and it still has a central London location." The company is determined to maintain a high quality of service and thinks it is crucial to be in close, regular contact with its customers.
Purchasing manager Luke Winter believes Wild Harvest is now well placed to widen its fresh produce offer. “We’ve been having to keep things like salt in the chiller, but now we have the space to buy in bulk and introduce new lines.” Winter, who oversees a network of around 100 suppliers, has already added black garlic, champagne rhubarb and purple asparagus among others to his roster this season. “Fruit and veg are often our sales hook. Chefs love to talk about fresh produce and, if we get them chatting about that, they’ll often then end up buying something like olive oil as well to bring their order up to size.”
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