New Covent Garden Market is celebrating 50 years at its Nine Elms site. Originally based at Covent Garden in central London - lending the modern market its name - the market later relocated, officially opening for business at their 35-acre south bank site on 11 November 1974. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ceremonially opened the market the following year. New Covent Garden Market's fruit, vegetables, and flower wholesalers typically work overnight, bringing in over £900 million in annual turnover, as stated by New Covent Garden Market.
Gary Marshall, Owner of New Covent Garden Market wholesaler Bevington Salads and Chairman of Covent Garden Tenants Association, says: "It is testament to the continued passion, commitment, and expertise of every trader here that we can say we were the market leader a century ago, the market leader 50 years ago and we remain the wholesale market leader now."
New Covent Garden Market is also a hub for community-focused initiatives like Mission Kitchen. The collaborative workspace supports food entrepreneurs by providing access to kitchen facilities, business mentoring, and a network of industry experts.
The market also seeks to promote sustainability, working with suppliers and traders to reduce food waste and encourage responsible sourcing. New Covent Garden Market is a 'zero to landfill' site.
Wanda Goldwag OBE, the Chair of New Covent Garden Market Authority, says: "New Covent Garden Market has been the beating heart of London's food supply chain for 50 years. Providing the freshest produce to our vibrant city is more than a job for our wholesalers, it's their livelihood, and for many of them, a baton to pass on through generations."
New Covent Garden Market