With the closure of the Düsseldorf wholesale market on December 31, 2024, and the imminent demise of the Cologne wholesale market, two of the five municipal wholesale markets in North Rhine-Westphalia will disappear. In the shadow of the sluggish location negotiations in Düsseldorf and Cologne, however, the Duisburg wholesale market has managed to hold its own in a challenging market environment. With its excellent location at the intersection of the large conurbations of the Lower Rhine, Ruhr Area, and Rhine Valley, with several million consumers, the wholesale market has established itself primarily as an attractive location for supplying regional restaurants and communal catering establishments.
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Fruit and vegetables have been sold on market stalls in Duisburg city center since 1895. Following its move to Duisburg-Kaßlerfeld, the Duisburg wholesale market has been based at the Auf der Höhe site since 1927. The site has been regularly expanded and modernized over the past century. After a major fire in 2009, the central sales hall was rebuilt with state-of-the-art facilities and excellent hygienic conditions. Today, the approximately 32,000-square-meter site is primarily used as a hub for the delivery of food to the surrounding Rhine-Ruhr area and beyond.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Duisburg wholesale market traders. Clockwise: The team from Beren Gastroservice, Maria Rösken from Josef Weitz GmbH, Udo Jesel and Alexander Klomparend from Duisburg Kontor GmbH, and Sven Nüchter from the family business of the same name.
Increased appreciation of the wholesale market
"We are currently operating at full capacity and have more inquiries than available space. Apart from the reopening of S. Limani GmbH, which we are naturally very pleased about, there has been only minimal fluctuation among the market businesses in recent years," says Udo Jesel, Head of Markets at Duisburg Kontor GmbH, the operator of the wholesale market. His colleague Alexander Klomparend, Head of Corporate Communications, points to the revival of the wholesale market. "Since Corona, the value of wholesale markets and their short supply chains has been recognized once again. We are in the fortunate position that the city of Duisburg has committed itself to the wholesale market, which in turn contributes to the future prospects of our market businesses."
The closure of the wholesale markets in Cologne and Düsseldorf could also have a positive effect in the medium to long term, emphasizes Klomparend. "I believe that at some point, the message will get through that wholesale markets are an important hub for local food supply and are therefore essential. In addition, the Duisburg wholesale market is becoming more attractive due to its excellent location and transport links, as well as its relatively low rents. If we look at the individual market businesses, succession has been settled almost everywhere, and the majority of companies are fundamentally very sound. In this respect, we feel stronger and are looking to the future with confidence."
Interface between the Ruhr Area and the Rhineland
On the retailer side, too, the mood regarding the future of the local wholesale market is predominantly positive. "On the one hand, we have easy access to the Rhineland and the Ruhr Area. On the other hand, we already have many potential customers in the immediate vicinity in and around Duisburg, especially if you focus primarily on delivery," explains Sven Nüchter, one of the youngest faces at the wholesale market. Frank Scholten from Green! agrees with his young colleague. "We have perfect transport links here and deliver as far as northern Hesse, southern Lower Saxony, and northern Rhineland-Palatinate."
Sadri Limani, owner of S. Limani GmbH, who worked at the Düsseldorf wholesale market for around 30 years, has not regretted the move to Duisburg. On the contrary, "We have been very well received here and are delighted with the healthy cooperation between the local traders," says the newest tenant. The management of Oki Frisch Handel GmbH, one of the growing businesses on site, also points to the diversity of products on offer, which continues to be a key feature of the wholesale market. "Customers like shopping here because of the wide range of products available."
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For more information:
Udo Jesel & Alexander Klomparend
Duisburg Kontor GmbH
Landfermannstraße 6
47051 Duisburg
Tel: +49 (0) 203 30525-0
[email protected]
www.duisburgkontor.de
