Birmingham Wholesale Markets a local food hub for public procurement

1
Birmingham Wholesale Markets a local food hub
for public procurement?

• Localise West Midlands
• March 2009

2
Why BWM for PP

• Mapping wholesalers 21 out of 29 BWM
  wholesalers willing and able
• Place of wholesalers in local supply chain
• Hub location structure model for local food
  supply into major urban area
• public procurement critical mass and whole
  system efficiency of public spend
• Markets move

3
LWMs brief

• Identify extent of current BWM/public sector
  relationships
• Current BWM sourcing and capabilities
• Public sector supply chains requirements
• Good practice - other wholesale markets
• Recommendations

4
Findings wholesalers 1

• Huge diversity of types of wholesaler
• (Perceived?) lack of local produce availability
  agents existing relationships
• 3 FV wholesalers with significant local produce
  focus
• Lack of local produce demand
• Local produce often Class 2 less profit margin

5
Findings - general

• Role as second tier suppliers to PS slow
  invoicing, small drops etc
• PSs first tier suppliers sourcing directly from
  growers (no info on proportions)
• Cost paperwork, transport price fluctuation
  issues. Seasonality link
• Best practice Manchester London lessons
  learnt

6
Findings - PS

• Difficult to access info on PS requirements
  arrangements
• Centralised supply chains - policy conflicts
  (exploiting combined buying power vs local
  sourcing)
• inflexible product specifications
• Local sourcing policies and guidance not
  translated into actual demand

7
Overcoming barriers- Public Sector

• Raise PS demand for local produce - collect
  local produce data set targets DEFRA model
  clauses
• Flexibilities processing, packaging,
  seasonality/glut and class
• - affordable local produce
• - BWM collaboration flexibility

8
Overcoming barriers supply end

• Distribution to from (EFFP, HEFF)
• Accreditation info
• Tendering process training
• Internet (access websites)
• Fresh produce CO2 emissions measuring tool
  (Covent Garden)

9
Options for Next Steps

• London, Manchester, Bham workshop
• Pilots
• -     Meet the Buyer events
• -     production agreements
• -     utilising Class 2 processed or otherwise
• distribution offer
• urban freight consolidation centre link?

10
Next steps 2

• Capitalise on markets move provide facilities
  for new trading models
• Birmingham sustainable procurement compact
• Focus on increasing market for producers -
  regardless of PS custom
• Urban hub model for local produce

11
Localise West Midlands

• Local economic solutions for sustainability
• www.localisewestmidlands.org.uk0121 685
  1155info_at_localisewestmidlands.org.uk