Mercabarna opens the country’s first organic food wholesalers
Born from growing demand for organic produce, Biomarket will capture 20% of the ecological food market
Fresh produce wholesalers Mercabarna has launched Biomarket, the first wholesale market for organic food in Spain and the first in Europe to group together numerous companies.
Primarily dealing with fruits and vegetables, Biomarket also trades legumes, cereals, nuts, pasta, rice, eggs, dairy products and derivatives, preserves, oil, vinegar and beverages.
The new market has come about as a response to the growing demand for organic products. The business is forecast to capture 20% of the current fruit and vegetable market, equivalent to about 23,662 tons of food per year, and its share is expected to increase to 50% by 2031.
Biomarket has the backing of €5 million of investment with 21 points of sale. The site includes more than 130 m2 for the direct sale of small local producers, while at the end of the first quarter of 2021 it is planned to open an area of almost 190 m2 for farmers throughout Catalonia.
The new building has been designed to minimize energy consumption, using renewable energy sources and passive air conditioning elements, such as solar panels. Natural ventilation and light have also been chosen to minimize energy consumption, while the supporting structure of the wooden deck comes from sustainably managed forests.
New market “essential”, says mayor
The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, believes that the new Biomarket is "essential" to bring organic and sustainable food to consumers and that organic food is “not a luxury for the few."
During the inauguration of the new market, Colau stated that the new market is "a very important step" for organic products to become "a norm" in the daily diet. In this sense, she praises the role of Mercabarna for its "clear and determined commitment" to move towards a sustainable and healthy food model.