WUWM Conference – “Wholesale Markets: The Platform for Business Partnering”

12 - 14 September 2012
Poznan, Poland

Executive summary:

During the WUWM Conference in Poznan experts discussed the need to include fresh food supply planning in local urban policies to avoid problems many cities were experiencing in 2012.  Experts underlined that local authorities should get more involved in food planning, as the rapid urbanization of the world and the lack of land for new markets could become a burden for the cities of tomorrow. Furthermore, the conference covered market relocation outside of the city, the importance of food safety and certification, wholesaler responsibility in establishing a sustainable way to providing fresh and available food, and the power of collaboration in marketing.

 

The key outcomes of this meeting are:

  1. WUWM members acknowledge the need to be responsible within markets with a strong management team capable of planning the growth and functioning of the wholesale market. It is clearly not enough to reduce the actions of the companies managing the wholesale markets to the role of real estate companies simply renting out and managing the available space on the markets. Effective market management requires expertise and a strategic vision, that can also support wholesale and retail market traders. Functions such as investment in infrastructure, marketing, commercial services or promotional activities should be placed under the responsibilities of wholesale market management teams.
  2. In a rapidly changing world, where new food supply actors are gaining parts of the market, WUWM members emphasized that if markets wish to remain relevant and competitive in the current environment, traders on the markets must develop their internal trade to optimize capacity costs in their businesses, and develop the variety of products and platforms they offer their customers. They will also need to be part of strong, concise, focused, and effective groups of actions that procure new customers, retain existing customers, as well as satisfy the ever-changing needs and demands of consumers.
  3. WUWM members commit to the development of this competitive process and realize this needs to unfold with full involvement of all the tenants and businesses on the market. This also needs the cooperation and enthusiasm of both the market’s management and its owners. This synergy must encompass as many major players in the food supply chain as possible, whenever and wherever possible.
  4. WUWM members believe that markets cannot only be driven by economic efficiency; taking such a position dissolves much of their importance and relevancy. The markets allow for a variety and diversity of products, ensuring consumers have affordable and accessible food. Wholesale and retail markets are a major alternative route to market for innumerable local producers and businesses. The markets are also key support tools in ensuring food security, sustainability, local business profitability and can provide important environmental benefits to their cities where that is needed or supported.
  5. WUWM members demonstrate a clear and strong commitment to remaining responsible in all business operations. WUWM remains convinced that the wholesale market business concept is one to be proud of, knowing that the operations contribute to ethical and sustainable development of the food supply and food distribution chains, both locally and globally. Fresh food wholesale markets perform the vital role of offering producers a unique and vital alternative route to market. These markets also provide for increased farm to fork food chain efficiency, ensure price transparency, and are an important vehicle to meet public initiatives for the increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.
  6. Wholesale market authorities need to ensure their continued up-to-date understanding and compliance with relevant food safety regulations and legislation for common areas on the market. This is possible by ensuring good use of the WUWM Guide to Good Hygienic Practice (GPG) as adopted by the European Commission in November 2009, and by providing updates to that Guide as they may be deemed necessary.
  7. Supporting that the highest standards of food safety compliance are achieved by the businesses on the markets is of paramount importance. In this way, any promotion and support given by wholesale market authorities to traders can help to secure the future profitability of market trading, thus securing the role and position of markets within food distribution in the future.
  8. The importance of national associations to securing the local wholesale market position should not be underestimated. National associations can play a vital role in uniting markets and pooling resources in order to increase market competitiveness, while providing a valuable platform for joint national marketing activities and possibly also service provision opportunities (e.g. electricity purchase, etc.).

Main issues discussed:

  • The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013
    • Marian Sikora, President, Federation of Polish Agricultural Producer Trade Associations
  • Answering to Challenges in Market Design
    • Grzegorz Hempowicz, President WGRO S.A., Poznań, Poland
    • Ireneusz Fechner, ILIM (Institute of Logistics and Warehousing), Poznań, Poland
    • Arkadiusz Węgielski, Vice-President, WGRO S.A., Poznań, Poland
  • Challenges to Market Relocation Outside the City Centre Moderator
    • Grzegorz Hempowicz, President WGRO S.A., Poznań, Poland
    • Michel Escoffier, Secretary General, FFMIN, France
    • Debate panel
      • George van Eldik, Senior Project Manager, Vroegop Ruhe & Co b.v., The Netherlands
      • Stanislaw Gierszewski, Renk, Gdańsk, Poland
      • Christian Berthe, Chairman, Lyon-Corbas Market, France
    • Food Safety and Market Certification
      • Torsten Berens, Managing Director, Hamburg Market, Germany
      • Grzegorz Hempowicz, President WGRO S.A., Poznań, Poland
      • Dominik Lisiewski, DNV, Poland
      • Bingqiang Chen, Shenzhen Nanshan Agricultural Products Distribution Co. Ltd, China
    • Marketing Support for Wholesale Market Operators and Customers of the Wholesale Market
      • Donald Darnall, Executive Director, MFCA, USA
      • Lidia Niemier, Vice President, WGRO S.A., Poland
      • Andreas Foidl, Managing Director, Berliner Grossmarkt & Board Member, GFI German Fresh Food Markets, Germany
      • Cezary Kołota, Lodz Wholesale Market „Zjazdowa” S.A.,) Poznań, Poland

WUWM Declaration 14 September 2012 (unanimous agreement of):

  1. During the WUWM Conference in Poznan experts discussed the need to include fresh food supply planning in local urban policies as to avoid problems that many cities are experiencing today. In a rapidly changing world, where new food supply actors are gaining parts of the market, We think that without a strong, competitive approach that inspires long-term prosperity, the traders on fresh food wholesale and retail markets will be unable to secure our future.
  2. WUWM members ACKNOWLEDGE that it is not sufficient to simply rent out and manage well the available space on our markets. Effective market management requires a strategical view and high profile management team.
  3. WUWM members APPRECIATE that if markets wish to remain relevant and competitive in the current environment, the traders on our markets must develop their internal trade to optimize capacity costs in their businesses, and develop the variety of products they offer their customers. They will also need to be part of strong, concise, focused and effective group actions that procure new customers, retain existing customers, as well as satisfy the ever-changing needs and demands of consumers.
  4. WUWM members COMMIT to the development of this competitive process and realize this needs to unfold with the democratic and full involvement of all the tenants and businesses on the market. This also needs the cooperation and enthusiasm of both the market’s management and its owners. We note this synergy must also encompass as many major players in the food supply chain as possible, whenever and wherever that is possible.
  5. WUWM members RECOGNISE that wholesale and retail markets can be supported, or restricted, by the food policies of the cities and countries within which they operate. It is also true that much of the relevance and value of markets rests on the fact that they support, unite and benefit all the many and varied actors in the food supply chain, from producers to the end consumers.
  6. WUWM members BELIEVE that markets cannot only be driven by economic efficiency; taking such a position dissolves much of their importance and relevancy. Our markets allow for variety and diversity of product, ensuring consumers have affordable and accessible food. We are a major alternative route to market for innumerable local producers and businesses. Our markets are also key support tools to ensuring sustainability, local business profitability and can provide important environmental benefit to their cities where that is needed or supported.
  7. WUWM members DEMONSTRATE a clear and strong commitment to remaining responsible in all our business operations. We remain convinced that the wholesale market business concept is one to be proud of, knowing that our operations contribute to ethical and sustainable development of the food supply and food distribution chains, both locally and globally. Fresh food wholesale markets perform the vital role of offering producers a unique and vital alternative route to market. These markets also provide for increased farm to fork food chain efficiency, ensure price transparency, and are an important vehicle to meet public initiatives for the increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.
  8. Furthermore, WUWM notes the following important points resulting from the technical discussions held during this conference:
    • Wholesale market authorities need to ensure their continued up-to-date understanding and compliance with relevant food safety regulations and legislation for common areas on the market. This is possible by ensuring good use of the WUWM Guide to Good Hygienic Practice (GPG) as adopted by the European Commission in November 2009 and by providing updates to that Guide as they may be deemed necessary.
    • Supporting that the highest standards of food safety compliance are achieved by the businesses on our markets is of paramount importance. In this way, any promotion and support given by wholesale market authorities to traders can help to secure the future profitability of market trading, thus securing the role and position of markets within food distribution in the future.
    • The importance of national associations to securing the local wholesale market position should not be underestimated. National associations can play a vital role in uniting markets and pooling resources in order to increase market competitiveness, while providing a valuable platform for joint national marketing activities and possibly also service provision opportunities (e.g. electricity purchase, etc.)

 

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