At the end of last year, on December 31, an institution disappeared after 85 years: The Cologne wholesale market. Mehmet Middik from GOWI GmbH is joining forces with twelve other traders at a new location in Gremberghoven to exploit synergies. Middik is investing EUR 175,000 in this venture. "We have no other option; we all have children and families."
"We could never have imagined a Cologne without a wholesale market," says vegetable wholesaler Degen. "Everyone had to find a solution," explains Christoph Degen. In the future, he will supply his customers, farm shops, and weekly market traders from a converted hall.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Christoph Degen (left) and Alfred König during FreshPlaza.de's visit to the wholesale market a few years ago.
"It's a shame what has happened here," says Magrit König, managing director of Nettekoven + König GmbH: "Politicians and city administrators have abandoned their responsibility." Her husband's grandfather worked at the Heumarkt at the beginning of the last century. But now König, 61, has had to close the family business. "Starting over again without help and with all the necessary investments and costs was no longer worthwhile," she says.
© Frischezentrum Heep GmbH
The long-established company Früchte Heep has now found a new home at the flower wholesale market in Cologne-Riel. "We are happy to have found a more than viable alternative," says Managing Director Norbert Heep. "Our requirements were: good transport connections, 24/7 access, parking, and open spaces for our vehicles and customers, and a sufficient power supply for our cold stores. The latter in particular proved to be the biggest challenge, as Rheinenergie, the local electricity provider, has no expansion capacity available before 2030. We now have 1,250 square meters of space available for our ultra-fresh products."
Opening of the ABA Frische Centrum
Meanwhile, the new ABA Frische Centrum in Gremberghoven was officially opened on December 27. "We are very happy with the new premises," said herb dealer Ahmed Bouqlata on inquiry. He points to the good infrastructure and transport links. "Unlike the old location, we are now outside the city, so trucks can reach us easily and conveniently. That is a huge advantage."
The following fruit and vegetable traders can now be found in the new fresh produce center at Josef-Linden-Weg 6 (51149 Cologne-Porz):
- Aysa Feinkost GmbH - https://asyafeinkost.de/
- Früchte Adam GmbH - https://fruechteadam.com/
- Birkenheyer Fruchthandelsges. mbH - http://www.birkenheyer.com/
- Uralkaya GmbH - https://www.uralkaya.de/
- Axer GmbH
- Best Pack & Food GmbH - https://best-packaging.de/
- Fusa FrüchteExpress GmbH
- Kartoffel Sion Inh. Marco Sion e. K.
- Kräuter Express Ahmed Bouklata
- Zündorf & Zerres GmbH - https://www.zuendorf-zerres.de/
For more information:
https://www.koelner-grossmarkt.de/themen/koelner-grossmarkt/
http://gemuesedegen.de/
https://www.frucht.de/
