Philadelphia is home to a thriving produce scene

Produce in Philadelphia is big business.

So big, in fact, that the City of Brotherly Love is home to the world’s largest fully-enclosed, fully-refrigerated wholesale produce terminal — the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.

At 686,000 square feet, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market offers cold-chain protection for fruits and vegetables, and its merchants carry a full line of produce in support of the local foodservice industry and grocery business.

April in Philadelphia means warmer temperatures. It also means that the market is going to start seeing local produce arrive in from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland within the coming weeks. 

Tracie Levin, controller for M. Levin and Co., one of the major players on the Philadelphia Market, noted because the city is centrally-located between New York and Baltimore — two major produce hubs — Philadelphia is a great place to do business.

“It’s also in very close proximity to all of the ports in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Delaware,” she said. “Having the ports and highways nearby put Philadelphia in a perfect location for produce.” 

The market also offers carrier services, such as exporting, importing and breakbulk programs, along with port services, including a centralized examination station, barge and tug operators, export packers, freight forwarders and brokers, terminal operators and trucking companies. Another advantage of the market is its convenient port access.

In addition to serving retailers and restaurants, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market is open to the general public, making it a key destination for residents, both of the city and surrounding suburbs. And it continues a generations-long tradition in Philadelphia, as some of its merchants can trace their roots back to Dock Street, the city’s earliest fruit and vegetable marketplace.

The leaders, staff and merchants of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market have for decades delivered outstanding produce to their customers. In June of 2011, the market moved into its current location, and while the market continues the legacy that started in Dock Street, its state-of-the-art facilities ensure a safe and clean environment.

One of the other great things about produce in Philadelphia is the number of farmers markets in the city that offer delicious fruits, vegetables and other goods, while also celebrating local communities within the city.

Among the most well-known of those markets is the Germantown Farmers Market, which will kick off its third season in May and run every Saturday during the season. Each week, the Germantown Farmers Market showcases local food producers and food artisans.

One of the city’s more unique markets is the Dickinson Square Farmers’ Market in South Philadelphia, where farmers sell only produce that they grow themselves, and food artisans sell prepared foods that feature ingredients purchased at nearby farms. That means visitors find dishes they won’t find anywhere else.

Since 1992, the Food Trust has been collaborating with Philadelphia neighborhoods and organizations, as well as retailers, farmers and officials, to ensure that the people of Philadelphia have access to healthy and fresh foods. One of the Food Trust’s important initiatives is the Clark Park Farmers Market in West Philadelphia, which provides people with fresh fruits and vegetables and other goods year-round.

The Food Trust also organizes the Headhouse Farmers Market in the historic Society Hill neighborhood. This market offers variety, as it has rotating and weekly vendors that sell their goods on Sundays. On Thursdays, the Food Trust hosts the Fairmount Farmers Market, which is also supported by a local business, the Bookhaven Used Book Store. This market is located across the street from the historic Eastern State Penitentiary and is a highlight of the Fairmount neighborhood’s retail corridor. The last of the Food Trust’s farmers markets is the Fitler Square Farmers Market, a year-round market that is open on Saturdays in Fitler Square Park.

With a bustling wholesale market and local initiatives that promote fruits and vegetables, the City of Brotherly Love clearly loves fresh produce.