Food Wholesale Markets: Multiple, complementary roles The network of 18 French Wholesale Markets was established in order to simplify distribution circuits and make supplying towns with food products more secure. The Markets quickly became both food-processing industry poles and logistic platforms in the service of food distribution.
WHOLESALE FOOD-PROCESSING POLES
	Wholesale Markets are “Central buying offices” for retail and restaurant businesses, unique places where all types of food distribution entities can stock up regularly in duly adapted conditions: û       True competition among 2,400 operators constantly looking for products of quality – particularly organoleptic – and also quality services to satisfy their 50,000 customers with the best quality/price/services ratio, û       Different ways of purchasing: products can be taken away or delivered, payment can be made on the spot or using a deferral method, prices can be fixed or negotiated, etc., û       A wide variety of regional, national and imported products, carefully segmented to meet the diverse needs of buyers and, thus, encourage biodiversity, û       Access to reliable information about market trends, regulations, etc.
	Wholesale Markets are regular outlets for independent producers, places to promote local products, regulation markets for the occasional surplus produce, and also for products that do not meet the prevailing standards.
	Wholesale Markets are reception areas for all food-processing activities in the retail or primary processing sectors. In other words, Wholesale Markets are the guarantors of an indispensable plurality of distribution.
LOGISTIC PLATFORMS
	A national network made up of 18 platforms divided up in the major consumption zones offers: û       100,000 m2 of warehouse space used by 160 carriers and logisticians û       Logistic services adapted to the demands of the B2B and/or B2C,
	Actors of the urban logistics, thanks to the fact that they are located near major circulation axes (easy for supplying) and downtown areas (easy for breaking up and delivering merchandise in town),
	Traditional places for bringing the flows together: commercial exchanges, circulation of people and merchandise, information, etc.
	Modern infrastructures, or lands, at the disposition of professionals in competitive economic and technical conditions, are continually adapted to the users’ needs.