New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) hosted an early-morning tour for eight delegates from the Africa Women in Food & Agribusiness Summit, which was held in London this week.

Nana Adjoa Sifa, pictured above left, was among the delegates who toured Britain’s best wholesale market, gaining a first-hand look at behind-the-scenes operations and learning more about NCGM’s supply chain and logistics. “The group was very interested in the Market’s different relationships and the lessons they could apply to help make a major wholesale market successful,” said Covent Garden Market Authority's (CGMA) Director of Communications Giles Roddy, who led the tour.

"For our delegates who came from Africa, the visit was one of the highlights of their time in London," said Nana, who received positive feedback from the small group. "Some were fascinated by the scale and for others history, and impact of the Market. The visit brought to life the critical role the Market plays in our value chain and the importance of efficient supply chains, strong market infrastructure, and the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep food moving every day."

As an organisation committed to building stronger agrifood systems and creating opportunities for women in food and agribusiness across Africa and the UK, Nana said experiencing the Market in person was especially valuable. "We left with a deeper appreciation of the Market's legacy and the team."

Kicking off at 4.30am, the visit started in the Fruit and Vegetable Market’s new Buyers’ Walk, pictured above. “We organised several meetings with wholesalers on Buyers’ Walk so that the delegates could ask questions and see the amazing variety of fresh produce on offer, as well as the huge scale of the new storage units,” said Giles. A trip to the CGMA offices in the Food Exchange was next, to find out more about NCGM’s redevelopment programme, with the tour ending with a visit to the Flower Market (pictured below).

The UK–Africa Women in Food & Agribusiness Investment Summit is a high-impact platform connecting women-led agrifood businesses, investors, buyers, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders from the UK and Africa. This year’s summit examined how to unlock capital, enable trade, and forge collaboration for UK–Africa women based in the agrifood sector.