Wholesaler has already sold four of its six Midlands greengrocers, with a further two and a farm shop also up for sale
Birmingham wholesaler George Perry is selling off its Joe Richards chain of West Midlands and Warwickshire greengrocers due to changing demographics and rising costs.
The Birmingham Wholesale Market trader, the UK’s oldest fresh produce wholesaler, bought the Joe Richards shops following the death of their eponymous owner back in 2015.
But company boss Mark Tate told FPJ he has decided to “streamline” the business as he gets closer to retirement and following shrinking demand in the areas where the shops are located.
George Perry has already sold four of the six shops: two in Coventry, one in Erdington, and one in Tamworth. In addition, Tate has been approached to sell the remaining two stores in Kenilworth and Cheylesmore, near Coventry.
He explained that in most of these areas a changing customer base, combined with price competition from new greengrocers serving various ethnic communities, has reduced demand for Joe Richards’ produce. And with costs rising, profits had shrunk.
In Kenilworth, meanwhile, Tate said a younger, more affluent clientele has replaced the ‘grey pound’ on which Joe Richards previously relied. These younger shoppers are more inclined to shop online and at the supermarkets, he explained.
In addition, Tate is searching for a buyer for George Perry’s award-winning farm shop Farm to Fork in Warwickshire, which opened in 2023.
“It was a fantastic learning curve, and it worked really well for the first 12 months,” says Tate, referencing Field to Fork’s ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award at the 2025 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards. “But on reflection, we probably went a little bit too high end. And when our costs increased, and the cost of living ramped up, it was a challenge.”
Reflecting on the Joe Richards business, he added: “We’ve had the shops for 12 years and 10 of them were very good.”
In the past two years, however, Tate said rising prices, costs and wages have eroded previous profits. In total, 120 people were employed across the six shops.
“We called it our rainy-day fund and then all of a sudden we’ve had a couple of big showers. But it’s been an experience and hasn’t cost us anything. We wipe our noses and move on to pastures new.”
