“All for one and one for all,” best known as the motto in the novel The Three Musketeers, could also be the mantra for the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM) tenants, who may compete on a daily basis but are still all part of a larger, cohesive whole.
Tommy Kovacevich, president of TMK-Philadelphia, Inc., describes the camaraderie with a different metaphor.
“Part of our ‘secret sauce’ is the way we work together for the betterment of all. We trade amongst each other, we deliver each other’s items to shared customers, and we have a trust and mutual respect that has formed the foundation of a thriving market.”
And this spirit existed long before the wholesalers worked together to build the PWPM.
“We know that through cooperation we are stronger than other competition to the market,” he says.
The PWPM’s relationship to Philadelphia’s port of entry is another example of teamwork. Going back a decade or so, the old Philadelphia market was one of the largest and most important produce markets in the United States.
At the same time, the Port of Philadelphia was one of the nation’s leading seaports for fruit and vegetable imports. Unfortunately, there was little interaction between the two when it came to transportation, sales, or marketing. As the buildings of the old market deteriorated, there was discussion of moving the new market to the Camden waterfront in New Jersey.
Dominic O’Brien, senior marketing manager of Philaport, says the relocation was something many at the port and on the market hoped to avoid.
“We realized that bringing the Port and the PWPM into a closer relationship would benefit both entities—and also be good for the region, in terms of economic development and healthy eating.”
A $152.5 million loan from Philaport payable over 40 years was granted to the PWPM and both entities worked to hire architects and builders to ensure a great design.
“Since PhilaPort has a proven track record in facility development and construction projects, we were given the responsibility for building the largest indoor produce market in the United States—a task we successfully accomplished,” O’Brien says.
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.
