Representatives from Germany’s fresh food markets in
the Berlin cookery school (Photo: Kochatelier Berlin)

16th GFI members’ meeting in Berlin
Opening membership to the retail trade and widening the remit: GFI German Fresh Food Markets has charted its future course

The 16th regular members’ meeting of the business development society GFI German Fresh Food Markets (formerly GFI German Wholesale Markets) was held in Berlin between 9 and 11 November 2010.

The overriding topic at the meeting was the association’s strategic positioning. Talking about how the situation has developed, GFI board member Uwe Kluge says: “The traditional market business, especially for fresh food, has seen further changes that disadvantage the small and medium sized trading companies. A few large retail companies exert enormous influence on the workings of the market, thus increasing the need for action and raising the level of performance required of a functioning network. Now, in order to serve consumers competitively, it is even more important, indeed imperative, for independent wholesalers and retailers to act as partners and exchange their knowledge on a wide range of subjects. For that reason we have reached two course-altering decisions.”

Opening up to retail markets
From now onwards full membership is open to all operators of fresh food markets plus associations and organizations which support the aims of GFI. These aims are, as in the past, to preserve the variety and high quality of fresh food available at wholesale and retail outlets. Uwe Kluge: “That means that membership is now open to over 3,000 street markets and 15,000 greengrocery shops. This represents a huge step forward in our quest to give a unified demonstration of freshness, variety and quality.
GFI has already welcomed its first new member since the rule change - HFM Managementgesellschaft für Hafen und Market mbH. This company manages weekly street markets in Frankfurt and the Kleinmarkthalle, a covered food market famous well beyond the city limits.

New remit
Another important step forward is to extend the range of tasks that the association undertakes. Uwe Kluge: “In recent years the exchange of ideas has gone far beyond marketing projects to include other central issues concerning trade management. Therefore we shall steadily develop the range of issues we address. These will include, e.g., matters concerning market management, law, infrastructure, organization and the economy. This is happening because our members’ interests have gained in importance. We are very proud of the fact that every member will be contributing valuable input and resources to the development of these new sectors.”

Uwe Kluge, Peter Joppa and Andreas Foidl re-elected to the Board
Opening up the association for retailers and expanding its remit necessitated extensive changes to the statutes and rules of procedure. After these had been made, the “old” board was re-elected for another term in office. Uwe Kluge, managing director of Großmarkt Bremen GmbH, has been a GFI board member for 6 years and its chairman for 5. Peter Joppa, managing director of FrischeKontor Duisburg GmbH, has been a board member for 7 years. And for the past 5 years Andreas Foidl, managing director of Berliner Großmarkt GmbH, has been a GFI board member.

About GFI German Fresh Food Markets
GFI Fresh Food Markets was founded in 2000 as marketing association for Germany’s wholesale markets. In 2010 a decision was made to open up the association for retail markets and to expand its remit. GFI sees itself as a network of partners and offers its members the opportunity to share in a wide-ranging exchange of knowledge regarding central issues of trade management and benefit from various platforms for presentation, such as the joint stand at the Fruit Logistica and the website www.frischemaerkte.org. GFI German Fresh Food Markets is the central contact for national or international growers wishing to hold sales promotions at independent, professionally run food retail outlets.

About German Fresh Food Markets
These markets guarantee a wide variety of top quality fresh produce, especially fruit and vegetables. Membership consists of both wholesale and retail markets. Between them, they ensure the availability of good, nutritious food for around 100 million consumers in Germany and neighbouring European countries.
Wholesale markets are central, urban trading platforms where around 2,600 small and medium sized wholesalers, importers and growers supply fresh produce from the region and all over the world to around 53,000 customers in the specialist, independent food retail business, such as greengrocery shops and street markets, and to large-scale caterers and top restaurant chefs. Annual turnover of goods is around 7.4 million tonnes with a total value of roughly 9.8 billion euros.
In Germany more than 3,000 weekly street markets and 15,000 greengrocer’s shops are numbered among the retail markets. Street markets are the most important sites for selling agricultural produce from local growers. Selling regional products and a great variety of produce from all over the world, the itinerant traders offer their customers a uniquely pleasurable shopping experience in the open air. The specialized greengrocer’s shops offer their customers personal advice and service in connection with their carefully selected range. Professional expertise is a prime consideration. A range of produce that changes with the seasons makes the specialist store a must-visit shop for people who value healthy food with plenty of variety.

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