First wholesale market dedicated to organics opens in Mercabarna
The future Biomarket © Mercabarna
The new Biomarket was opened last Monday at Mercabarna. This represents the first organic food wholesale market in Spain. The specialist wholesale market cost €5 million to build and plans to capture 20% (23,662 tons/year) of the total organic fruit and vegetables marketed in Catalonia once it is in full operations. Biomarket is expected to reach 50% (78,100 tons/year) of the market share in 10 years.
The Biomarket offers space for local farmers. 11 companies (10 wholesalers) have taken up 17 positions in the centre. Each market stall is about 135 square metres. There are currently three free spaces, two for wholesalers and another for multi-products. There is another space of 190 square metres already set aside for a sector cooperative. Another space can be occupied simultaneously by up to nine local producers wishing to access the market directly with their seasonal produce, rather than through wholesalers.
Biomarket was created with the objectives of bringing organics closer to the usual purchasing channels (catering and retail), responding to the increased demand from the wholesale sector, and gathering together wholesale companies to facilitate marketing and promote competition, while offering specific and differentiated facilities for controlling food safety and labelling.
