New Covent Garden Market is steeped in history, and traders have been buying and selling fresh produce there for more than 50 years. The fresh produce industry has changed a lot over the years, but one trader who has been a familiar face on the market for many, many years is looking to the future while still embracing the heart of the wholesale market.
Gary Marshall
Gary Marshall, owner of Bevington Salads, a cornerstone of New Covent Garden Market, is somewhat of a pioneer within the industry, and launched En Route Fruit in January of this year. This new arm combines five decades of industry expertise with cutting-edge e-commerce technology, which offers restaurants, high-end retailers, delis, and supermarkets a seamless way to order fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, and herbs online, via app, social media, or the phone.
"This idea was brought to me by some of the younger members of the team. To be honest, I was a bit out of my comfort zone at first," admits Gary. "En Route Fruit is a customer-facing platform, easy to use when ordering produce. On our side, it is easy to keep up to date with the seasonal fresh produce. We can provide a great service and ensure high-quality products. We have seen a good uptake since we launched in January."
Gary and his son George
The team includes Gary's son George Marshall, Jack Gordon, and digital specialists Liepa and Chris Lord. En Route Fruit merges generational wisdom with millennial innovation.
"Some people are less inclined to visit the markets these days; this is due to a few reasons, including congestion and ULEZ regulations. Business hours at the market have also changed; we find now we are doing business from 10 pm, whereas before it was a 4 am start. It is getting more and more difficult to travel around London during the day."
Gary with his son Bradley and partner Kesia
Although Gary agrees that the En Route Fruit app is fantastic, he was concerned about how to keep the passion for fresh produce alive. "We need to see, touch, and smell the produce, and also talk to each other face to face. We encourage the users of the app to come to the market for visits, we offer information and partnerships so they can have the whole experience of the market, as well as the ease of working with the app.
"It is easy to sit in an office and order everything online, but there is a danger of losing the ability and confidence to talk and deal with people. We want to give the best of both worlds."
Bevington Salad's sales team, Tom, Barry, and Gary
Gary admits that it takes time to build confidence when using online apps, "We are basically spending other people's money for them, we are choosing the products that they will buy, and then sell. We try to give as much detail as possible about what we have on offer through social media.
"I am a very traditional fruit and vegetable trader, but I don't see this as turning our backs on the past. I see it as the way to secure our future."
For more information:
Gary Marshall
Bevington Salads
Tel: +44 20 7627 8999
[email protected]
www.bevingtonsalads.co.uk