Our latest NCGM operator putting the Market On The Map is Kamil Demir, co-founder of All Greens, who explains why his business is located at the UK’s largest wholesale market.

What does New Covent Garden Market mean to you?

It’s a really vibrant community, locally situated in central London with a great network between chefs, traders and wholesalers. All NCGM businesses offer fresh new produce, which is very different to other market offerings. I know the best quality French and Italian produce are found here for instance. Those are just two examples, but I could give you many more.

What was your first job working with fresh produce?

I’ve been in the sector since I was little. I grew up in Turkey and was always visiting markets as my dad was a greengrocer and I’d go along with him before school started. When we moved to the UK in 1992, because of our family’s greengrocer background I thought this world would be easy. I knew it would mean hard work, but it was something that I loved.

What was your first business?

My first business was a fruit shop in Stoke Newington called Newington Green. I became a buyer for the shop and that’s how I learned the trade and expanded my knowledge over the years. Eventually, that first small shop has grown into the All Greens Group, offering a mix of wholesale and retail.

How did All Greens start?

Because my first shop was in east London, I bought all my fresh produce from New Spitalfields Market in Leyton, which was on my doorstep. I had a lot of loyal customers, including David Josephs, who’s now my business partner. David (pictured above left, with Kamil, right) had a non-food business in east London so that’s why he shopped with me, but he lived in St John’s Wood. We became friends and he opened my eyes to a different way of doing business. One day he took me to St. John’s Wood, where we visited a local shop, Panzer’s Deli, that has had a special connection with the neighbourhood for more than 50 years. They offer the very best produce all sourced from NCGM. After seeing what we could achieve, that’s when we agreed to work together.

David found a shop in Clifton Road in Maida Vale which had been a Blockbuster Video shop, and we took it over. The funny thing was that it had been a greengrocer before becoming a Blockbuster, so we were taking it back to its roots. The shop was a success, and we followed that with shops in Camden Parkway and Crouch End.

When was the first time you visited NCGM?

I visited for the first time around 2005, when I learned that Panzer’s was buying from NCGM. I was looking for different offerings to New Spitalfields Market and Western International Market. Slowly, I started buying from all three markets although I can say that NCGM is definitely the best. Even now, I shop for Turkish produce at New Spitalfields and Chinese produce at Western International, but the majority of our produce is bought here at NCGM. We’ve also established relationships with suppliers and growers, who we directly source from.

What’s changed the most in your Market career?

The variety of produce available and the technology side of the business. The new tech has helped with up-to-date pricing, availability, and transport, which is now six days a week. The AI tech creates picking notes, delivery notes and invoices, which means that we can employ staff in other areas and be more efficient.

What’s the secret of your success?

I feel it is down to hard work, and good knowledge of produce. Following trends, buying well and always offering great service. When I say hard work, it’s not just physical but mental too. When you’re a business owner, you can’t switch off and you have to work all hours. For example, my delivery of Kenyan herbs was delayed at the airport this weekend. So, I drove to Heathrow to collect them myself so that we’d be ready for Monday morning. You have to make sacrifices with your social life and your family life.

If someone wants to work at NCGM I’d say go for it – there are always lots of opportunities as long as you’re prepared to work hard. If you enjoy what you do and can see the rewards of your efforts, it’s a great way of life.