The Markthal is the pride of Rotterdam. The food mecca recently welcomed its 5 millionth visitor. According to data, 71% of those visitors actually made a purchase. Most people bought at the meat and fish departments, followed by the bakers, with the fruit and veg stalls in third place. What is it like to do business in the Markthal? The first stalls have already quit. The rent is said to be too high, and while customers walk by, they’re mostly on their way to the cafes.
Wide range
According to Mustafa Uyar, there’s a rumour of the products being too expensive. For now, his Groenten & Fruitparadijs still gets enough customers: “We carry a wide product range. There’s always something for everyone, and the amount spent ranges from 3 to 80 euros.” According to Mustafa, the customer base is very diverse: “During the holidays, we see visitors come in from all over the country, and then there are the usual crowds when the cafes are open.” In addition to direct sales, Groenten & Fruitparadijs also supplies products to the restaurants in the Markthal, so his business profits from the many visitors coming to eat and drink. He looks back on the first seven months with satisfaction: “Since the start, there have been a lot of tourists, both from at home and abroad, buying many international products. We also have many regular customers from around here.” All things considered, Mustafa hopes to be in the Markthal for a long time to come: “The costs for the parking garage could be a bit lower. Otherwise we’re happy, and we’re hoping to keep our customers satisfied in the future.”
Mustafa Uyar, Groenten & Fruitparadijs at the Markthal.
Ready-to-eat
Job Struik, manager of Natuurlijk!, looks back on the first months positively: “It was a hectic period of settling down, adapting and learning a lot.” The Koppert Cress, Greenco and Best Fresh Group collective mainly sells convenience goods and takeaway. Job: “The exotics are currently very popular, and we’re introducing customers to TomTroms. Those are mostly bought by tourists, some people from Rotterdam, and regular customers.” Job confirms that the Markthal draws many tourists, and mostly depends on the restaurant business: “That’s not always easy, but it doesn’t mean there are no possibilities either. As an entrepreneur, you have to adjust the way you do business. We do that by offering a lot of ready-to-eat, for instance, and proactively looking for customers by focusing on experience.” The Markthal itself, Job says, could contribute to positioning: “It could be profiled a bit more as a fresh hall rather than an eating and drinking hall.”
Entrepreneurship
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, but the one that is most adaptable to change. This quote, often attributed to Darwin, is applicable to André Paap’s Vers van de Teler stall. “We can look back on a good first few months, but we’ve had to adjust our way of working and product range. For us, fresh experience and inspiration are paramount. In our stall, we work on concepts, carry out consumer research, and sell fruit and vegetables. The composition of the visitors, many tourists and day trippers, requires a range of products that can be consumed quick and easy.” André doesn’t say selling alone isn’t possible in the Markthal. “It requires entrepreneurship, especially because we only work with Dutch products, so we deal with products that are in season. That’s not very interesting for a one-time visitor. In the beginning, it took some getting used to, but by adapting and triggering customers with tasty and/or special things, you’ll generate sales. The Markthal will change yet, and so will we. Our stall is not a ready-made concept, but a project, in which constant changes are made based on composition of the visitors, seasonal products and consumer preferences.”
More information:
Groenten & Fruitparadijs: Mustafa Uyar uyar@felahimportexport.nl
Natuurlijk!: Job Struik job@natuurlijkmarkthal.nl
Vers van de Teler: Andre Paap: info@andrepaap.nl