The wholesale sector is evolving rapidly, with redevelopment plans in various stages of progression across the country and companies taking it upon themselves to modernise their own stands.

It’s been 10 years since Nicholas Saphir wrote his flagship report into the future of UK wholesale, and one of his recommendations continues to cause animated debate across the country.

The issue of whether London needs a big composite market selling meat, fish, fruit and veg all under one roof continues to polarise opinion, with advocates claiming it is a vital progression for food procurement in the capital and critics saying it is either unnecessary or politically unworkable.

A decade after Saphir put the proposal in writing, FPJ revisits the debate and asks whether it is any more feasible today than it was back then (see pages 20-22).

In a week in which the NFU has come out and publicly emphasised the vitality of wholesale markets and the foodservice trade, the issue seems more relevant than ever.

Many of the nation’s markets are at a crossroads in their history, and are looking for the right path to build a prosperous and sustainable future. Getting the right mix for each individual customer base will be key to those fortunes.