The Future of Food Wholesaling
Photo example of a vertical farm.
We know the future of retail is changing and this also applies to food retail and the hospitality sector.
As a responsible landlord, we want to be at the forefront of this change so we can ensure our markets thrive. This is why we have been carrying out research with partners and experts in a number of areas that we believe are vital to create a successful and modern wholesale market at Dagenham Dock.
The Future of Food
We are exploring how we meet the needs of food wholesaling now and in the future.
One of our challenges is how we encourage small businesses, which make up the majority of our tenants, to think ahead now about longer-term challenges, such as electronic ordering and 5G connectivity, while keeping their businesses running day-to-day.
More and more people rightly want to know where their food is coming from and creating the most sustainable market possible – not just in terms of produce, but also operations – is high on our agenda.
Feedback from this research suggested we should consider the potential of growing produce on the roof, creating a vertical farm, reducing the amount of waste and increasing the volume that is recycled in addition to establishing an energy exchange.
Transport and Logistics
We know that finding new solutions for logistics and transport is an important step to achieving a more sustainable and competitive wholesale market.
Our second research topic is focused on broadening our understanding of logistics and how using the river and rail network could change the way produce is brought to and from the markets.
Industry experts from Eddie Stobart, Ocado, the Port of London Authority and Transport for London are supporting our work as we look at freight consolidation to reduce the volume of vehicles the markets create and explore alternatives such as rail and river.
