The Yorkshire Produce Centre – A traditional wholesale market

We hope the following will explain a little more about how The Yorkshire Produce Centre operates and exists to carry on one of the earliest forms of trade, from our purpose built warehouse just outside the centre of Leeds.

The Yorkshire Produce Centre is a traditional wholesale market. Having been involved, one way or another, in this sphere of commerce, for several years now I have been surprised recently to discover that not everyone understands the function of the wholesale market and less still realise that here, in the heart of Yorkshire, is a perfect example of an age old method of selling produce.  Wiki Answers says of the word ‘Marketing’ ….

“Market is circa 1154, “a meeting at a fixed time for buying and selling livestock and provisions,” from Old Norman French market (Old French marchiet, French.. marché), from Latin mercatus”

Most major cities do still house a wholesale market, although in recent years, with the demise of traditional high street retailers, the markets too have dwindled. The largest examples of a traditional market would be New Spitalfields or New Covent Garden serving London and the Home Counties and home to over 200 traders selling fresh produce and flowers.

At The Yorkshire Produce Centre, as the name suggests, a  significant proportion of goods on sale in the market are locally grown, for over 75 years we have provided a ‘hub’ to link local farmers and growers with the retail and catering trade. Of course, to provide a full service offer, there is also a huge selection of produce from around the world, from exotic fruits to fresh herbs, from bedding plants to Christmas trees.

What is breathtakingly unique about our business is the vast depth of knowledge amongst the team, many are 2nd, 3rd and even 4th generation specialists in their field, week in week out, season after season after season they liaise with growers to bring the finest produce from the most relevant place in the world ensuring the best possible price along with the finest quality.

This site is intended to promote the market as a whole, to educate and inform, to bring you news on produce, market data and even the latest gossip from the traders, who we will feature as the site evolves.

Christmas is coming ….

Faster than we can unload the trees from the wagons they’re flying out and our sundries department is better than ever, earlier in the year Chris and the team had a  trip to the Frankfurt Christmas and paper world trade show, they  spent two long days buying products from Germany, Holland, China and India, in their own words they “went mad” bringing loads of new products at incredible prices.

We’ve extended our opening hours throughout December, to make your busiest time of the year a little easier to deal with, check out the calender for specific hours and days and if there’s anything we do to help just give us a call.