Despite inflation, the mood at the Hamburg wholesale market is quite positive. "Things have improved a lot after the pandemic, both in terms of sales and prices. We are at pre-Corona levels or even a bit above in terms of turnover. So, we have come through the crisis well and are currently in a good position," reports Zidane Omeirat, Managing Director of Johann Quast Ltd, based in the central wholesale market hall.
In addition to supplying system caterers and community catering in the North German region, the wholesale company has been involved in fresh logistics to Svalbard in the Arctic region for ten years now. The goods are first transported by truck to Denmark and then shipped to Southern Norway. From there, the transport continues to Tromsø, the largest port city in Northern Norway. After that, the goods are shipped to Svalbard, where they are temporarily stored and distributed on-site.
Omeirat: "We mainly deliver staple foods for daily needs to the North, such as apples, potatoes, but also fruit vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Our customer base there primarily consists of community catering for the local population and less of hotels and gastronomy."
Fresh goods arrivals in Svalbard.
Growth potential in community catering
Johann Quast has been located at the local Hamburg wholesale market for over three decades. Although the wholesale market still plays an important role in regional and national fresh supply, Omeirat views the future with some concern. "There are already several independent wholesale companies in the fruit and vegetable sector that operate successfully independently of the wholesale market. Therefore, I do not rule out that the wholesale market will lose significance in the coming years. Nevertheless, we are still satisfied with our location. We are on the right track and serve a broad customer base. Therefore, I look forward to the future with confidence, especially for our company."
Images: Johann Quast GmbH
For more information:
Zidane Omeirat
Johann Quast GmbH
Hamburg Wholesale Market
T: 040 30 37 40 45
F: 040 30 37 48 82
info@johann-quast.de
www.johann-quast.de