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Eastern Impact not to be ignored
With the rise of the influence of Central and Eastern European cuisine in the UK it’s no surprise that the food wholesale industry is being impacted by some new kids on the block. In fact, they are not necessarily new, but their rise and success are noteworthy.
Most towns and cities in the UK have Eastern European food stores on their highstreets. These stores are hubs in the community where local-living people from all over Europe go to buy the taste of their homeland and then recreate the cuisine of their childhood and family life.
All of this produce, ingredients and diverse foods don’t just magically appear on the shelves of these often-over-looked gems of shops. So, who are the companies and distributors in the wholesale industry who supply these Eastern European shops?
Lituanica Wholesale are one of the biggest players in the European food market in the UK. Lituanica began life as a family business in The Republic of Ireland in the 90s, the business rapidly grew and by 2003 the company had operations in the UK. 16 years on, the main operations are based in Baking, London, with 2 warehouses covering more than 120,000 square foot of space. Lituanica now employs over 350 permanent staff and alongside its wholesale operation has 6 retail outlets based in London and the South East.
The key to Lituanica’s success is its huge range of products, which is in excess of 6000 from over 1000 manufactures and suppliers across Europe. Rasa Apostol MD says, “We have a very diverse customer base, so it’s vital for our business model to reflect that diversity in the choices we offer.” In fact, a brief look through Lituanica’s website reveals exactly how vast the product range is; you can search by name of product, country of origin or any other specific parameter you require to track the item required.
Delivering on such a large scale is not without its challenges though; the market is competitive and being pioneers in the market means that Lituanica has had to carve out its own destiny to be the giant it is. Nadiya Butt, Head of Sales, says, “At Lituanica we place customer service at the top of the list, always endeavouring to offer customers the products they need to uphold their place in their B2C markets. It’s important to us that each shop remains the pillar in their individual communities.”
Another layer of uncertainty is how the market will be impacted by Brexit. Brexit will undoubtedly affect prices and possibly supply chains for everyone, But Lituanica feels it’s in a strong position in the market, with robust supply chains and tried and tested relationships with manufacturers. One sure certainty is the large communities of Europeans who have made the UK their home and will continue to desire and purchase the variety of produce that conjures up that taste of home.
