Chris Hutchinson - Arthur Hutchinson (Spitalfields)

Chris Hutchinson

Salad and vegetable wholesaler Arthur Hutchinson is set to merge with new fruit business Kemsley & Co having accepted an offer from the fellow Spitalfields trader.

The salad supplier’s managing director Chris Hutchinson will continue to work for the combined fruit and vegetable business, which will begin trading on 1 April.

Kemsley & Co is a new venture for the Scrivener familyas Steve Scrivener from JT Kemsley has decided to retire.

His brother Chris Scrivener has formed the new business and as managing director he will work with Peter and Ben Thomas from Prescott Thomas, who are shareholders.Ben Thomas will take on the role of salesman alongside Hutchinson and Scrivener.

Chris Hutchinson said he was “obviously very sad” to close down a company that his grandfather started in 1936, but heis also “very excited” to be joining Chris Scrivener and his new team.

“It is my intention to keep the relationships that I have built with suppliers and customers, in manycases built over the last 40 years, during the wind down of Hutchinson’s,” he said.“I look forward to continuing these relationships for many years into the future.”

The new business will trade from stand 99 in the New Spitalfields Market pavilion.