New Covent Garden Market’s wholesaler community was in the spotlight when popular Facebook and TikTok blogger Hank Lankford visited Nine Elms on Tuesday 3rd November.

Traveling to London from the United States to film content for his social media channels, Hank was keen to find out more about the Market’s history, and the people who shape it, for a series of upcoming films detailing real-life in the capital.

“I truly enjoyed my morning as everyone was very kind with their time and I really appreciate the opportunity to see behind the scenes of such an iconic London venue,” said Hank, who has more than 200,000 followers on Facebook and just shy of that number on TikTok.

Popularly known online as @hanklank or Hank the Librarian, Hank is a real-world historian, genealogist, and former librarian from Oklahoma, who has been steadily building up his social media followers over the past two years.

Starting in the Fruit and Vegetable Market, Hank interviewed Jason Glass, Managing Director of All Greens Wholesale (pictured above). Sampling a selection of All Greens’ premium produce – including giant Ruby Roman grapes from Japan – Hank learned how All Greens began as a retail operation before evolving into the food-service sector. “The grapes were amazing, 10 out of 10,” said Hank, adding that he’ll “never look at a bunch of grapes in the same way.”

Hank also visited the Flower Market to speak with Dave Gibbs of DG Wholesale Flowers (below) and Dean Knight at Quality Plants, learning how the UK’s biggest horticulture market supplies London and the south east.

“Both Markets were much bigger than I expected and covered many more vendors than I was anticipating,” said Hank, who felt warmly welcomed by everyone. “Back home in the States, we have a saying that they felt like ‘good people’, so it was fascinating to look behind the life of London in a way that I highly doubt even modern London understands.”

Above: Hank Lankford with Dean Knight of Quality Plants Ltd

Hank says he’ll be back again in the future to see the end of the Market’s multi-million-pound redevelopment. “I can guarantee you as a repeat visitor to this incredible city, I will look at flowers and fruit and produce everywhere I go in a way that I hadn’t thought of before, and I will remember each of you every time that I do that from now on. It was truly an incredible time with people who felt like old friends.”

Hank will be creating dedicated New Covent Garden Market content from his visit, which we’ll share here in the new year.