Still opportunities at markets for young people | MARKETS PROFILE

I STARTED the business in 2009 and it has grown from a borrowed ute to running a fleet of 15 trucks delivering the very best quality fruit and vegetables within a 150km radius of the market.

I have recently also bought Block E Building in the Brisbane Market which includes a selling floor which enables me to buy direct from growers and further down the line act as an agent on their behalf.

This means I can manage better quality and service for my customers at realistic prices.

What sets your business apart from other wholesalers?

Our business is based on quality service and produce.

As the owner, I have a personal relationship with every single customer which means if there is a problem I am in a position to work one on one with our customers to fix it.

Where do you source your produce from?

We buy most of our produce within the Brisbane Markets and also work with some of the smaller growers in the south-east region to buy and market their produce direct.

Who are your customers?

We have over 1000 active customers including restaurants, cafes, hotels, independent retailers, aged care facilities, childcare centres, convenience stores and hospitality clients such as Moreton and Stradbroke Islands.

We released an online ordering platform about 6 months ago and it's going really well with about 75 per cent of our customers using it.

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To keep our customer service top of mind our phones are still open for one on one customer service and ordering.

How did you get into the fruit and veg business?

My father, known as Big Michael used to work in the market as a buyer when he first came to Australia from Greece.

I was working as a labourer while studying at uni when my father suggested that I do the produce buying for a friend who owned a café. I borrowed my father's ute and as they say the rest is history.

The business now operates 15 trucks out and I have recently bought Block E of Rocklea market and look forward to soon expanding the business to also act as an agent of the selling floor for our growers.

What would you say to a young person who wanted to get into the industry?

There will be lots of challenges, one step forward two back but you have to be determined to learn from your mistakes.

There are still lots of opportunities; don't always listen to the old school players who will tell you how bad things are.

You are not trying to step on their empires, merely trying to build your own.

What has changed at the market over the years?

Technology has of course increased as have all the regulations that we have to adhere to.

What is the best thing about working at the market and in the industry?

I love the banter and the constant change that comes with working at the market, every day is different.

It's the only place where you can have a disagreement with someone in the morning and be best mates again in the afternoon.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the business?

Managing debt is one of the biggest challenges in running our business.

My wife has taken on this side of the business, and with constant follow-up, systems and payment planning this side of our business is managed better than it's ever been.

What is the secret to a successful business?

Honesty is the most important part of running any business, you need to be honest and do the right thing by your customers.

They need to realise that this guy is really looking after them.

How has the business adapted to the Coronavirus lockdown?

In an effort to support our community of growers and utilise our infrastructure during the coronavirus lockdown, Big Michael's launched a home delivery service which operates within a 150km radius of the markets.

We also deliver to our independent retailers to utilise our truck that would otherwise have been sitting idle.

What does the future hold for the fruit and vegetable industry?

We rely on the hospitality industry for our business so after the Lockdown we need restaurants to open for business and if they are offering good food for a good price in a nice setting they should be able to get through this and our business will get back on track.

From an industry perspective, everything keeps changing however at the end of the day the businesses that provide excellent customer service will be the ones still standing.