Soon, the first production kitchen of the Groothandelsmarkt will open in Rotterdam. It is the first phase in a sweeping redevelopment of the characteristic central trading market in the port city.
Start-ups in food production, caterers as well as companies in logistics and e-commerce and suppliers will have a place in the Spaanse Polder to offer their products, experiences and services. The Wholesale Market as a new international food hotspot.
Urban Industrial (UI), which took over the Groothandelsmarkt from the municipality of Rotterdam almost a year and a half ago now, will turn the site into a contemporary multifunctional food hub. Entrepreneurs there can give ample attention to production, products, experience, e commerce, logistics services and education. Cooperation between established businesses and start-ups should also be given ample scope here. UI also seeks cooperation with municipalities and government institutions. "A real food hub therefore, where there is not just box-shifting, but real value addition and cross-pollination," says UI's business developer Robert van 't Blik about the redevelopment at Rotterdam Food Cluster.
New production kitchen
Launched this month, the new production kitchen will have capacity for around 10 food producers from the region, from innovative start-ups to established companies. "We would like to seek cooperation with small and large entrepreneurs here, as well as with municipalities and government institutions," Robert van 't Blik says. The workspace with workbenches, oven and gas cooker, refrigerator and freezer, rinse kitchen and drying storage, together with a catering facility and meeting space, will become part of a food lab, a test station set up on learning by doing.
Van 't Blik: "This food lab will be a test station of how things work. The lessons we learn from it can then be translated into the larger concept." The redevelopment will take place in three phases, with each phase providing new insights that will be incorporated into the expansion. Learning by doing, in other words.
If the food lab proves to work well, expansion will follow with around another 1,500 square metres of production space. This second phase will then create a total of some 5,000 square metres of business space across from the current Wholesale Market in the second half of next year. Demolition and new construction is currently being prepared for this phase.
''With the new building, we want to continue working on the multifunctional character of a new food hub that also focuses on consumer activities, experience and the new look'', says Van 't Blik.
In phase three, all existing warehouses at the Groothandelsmarkt - totalling some 50,000 square metres - will be replaced by new construction in phases.
Ethnic market grows
The around 50 food entrepreneurs now based at the Groothandelsmarkt bring a unique and varied offer. Wholesalers in fruit and vegetables and flowers and plants will be further expanded. To maintain its international character, Robert van 't Blik is considering attracting more wholesalers in ethnic ranges. ''Think of dry goods from around the world such as sauces, curry pastes, noodles, rice etcetera. Possibly complementing meat that is halal, organic and/or of local origin''.
In the trade market where trade has traditionally focused on fruits and vegetables, ethnic market share has been growing rapidly in recent years. These businesses supply their products to mainstream folk markets, ethnic supermarkets and catering outlets. "The combined assortment of our wholesalers is unique and creates a one-stop shop for various customers. Many of them are from the region, but because of its wide range, central location and easy accessibility in the Spanish Polder, the Wholesale Market attracts customers from all over the country," said the business developer. Besides fruit and vegetables, the Wholesale Market has Turkish, Moroccan, Caribbean and Asian wholesalers. This will be further complemented in the future with specialised Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Eastern European offerings, among others.
Focus on e-food triangle
Innovative in the redevelopment is the focus on the so-called 'e-food triangle'. This consists, on the one hand, of building production areas where food entrepreneurs can process basic products into finished products. There is great potential here due to the changing needs of end consumers. "We see an increasing focus on craft, catering, eating out and eating to order. In our production spaces, caterers, food startups and established companies can work to create products that meet those needs."
The Groothandelsmarkt also focuses on e-commerce by companies and solutions such as the Buurtboer, Marley Spoon or Rechtstreex. These can establish their offices or distribution centres here.
The third major component is last-mile logistics, transporting products to retail and end consumers. For this, the Groothandelsmarkt is in talks with several parties willing to join.
E-food triangle and wholesale: strong combo
The e-food triangle and wholesale operations form a strong combo. Products from the wholesalers are processed into finished products in the production areas. These are in turn sold through e-commerce applications and transported by the logistics parties. This strengthens the entire chain and literally shortens distances, leading to time savings and more efficient transport.
Connecting with education and experience
Education should soon connect all facilities at the Groothandelsmarkt. Therefore, hands-on training will be attracted for everything around food and logistics. "There is huge potential in employment within this sector, but people often don't know about it and there is a big mismatch between supply and demand,'' observes Robert van 't Blik. The Wholesale Market wants to support to train young talents in a different way. Students can learn all-round the whole process there: from the operation of a production kitchen to trade and logistics.
