C the market organises tours so that the public can come into the market, walk the floors and see what goes on during trading time.
"Epping Wholesale Market turns over approximately AU$2.5 billion per year. As a distribution centre it operates 24/7. Our tours showcase the trading market Monday to Friday, 3.30am to 7.30am," explained Jan Claire, tour operator at C the market.
Jan sent FreshPlaza some photos taken on a recent tour of the market.
Trading Stands warehouse; about 30% of traders in this area are growers. The rest are agents. It includes seasonal and all year round traders. This is a PROBUS group walking through, meeting the traders.
Trading Stands. Jan is facing the camera showing a Year 9 school group through. It's their opportunity to get first hand experience of how fresh produce arrives at their family's local greengrocer or supermarket.
Melbourne Markets created a history wall filled with the photos and stories of the Wholesale Markets in Melbourne since 1836 to showcase to visitors our living history. We still have traders coming into the markets as owners and traders who have been involved with the last three markets, since before 1969 when they left the Queen Victoria site and moved to Footscray Rd, West Melbourne.
The sunrise at Gate 1 - the main entry point for all vehicles, looking east across part of the MM site ready for future development
This is the Buyers Walk, a 1.2km undercover walkway/electric vehicle trading mall lined with 156 refrigerated Traders Stores.
The largest wholesalers are here and all traders in this section support our tours by taking time out from trading, to welcome and engage with our visitors and showcase their product.
It's the unsolicited tastings, discussions and friendly banter experienced here that most of our visitors remember from their time at the markets.
For more information:
Jan Claire
C the market
Tel: +61 430 507019
www.cthemarket.com.au
www.facebook.com/cthemarket