Limkokwing University students enjoyed a recent tour of London’s historic Borough Market, the world’s oldest fruit and vegetable market still operating today.
The Borough Market has been in business since 1756, selling fish, grain, cattle and other produce. In recent years, the market has become a hit amongst tourists, having moved into fine food retailing and featuring global produce, regional specialties and artisan producers.
The market’s loyal fan base includes world-renowned TV chef and restaurateur, Jamie Oliver who had this to say about the market: “I’ve been going to Borough Market for years. There’s really nowhere quite like it in London. There is such a great atmosphere, not to mention really excellent fish, veg, terrific meat and delicious cheese all straight from farmers. It’s a tasty slice of London history. It is so important that we support farmers markets on every level like this one. It presents the heritage of British produce at its best.”
The visit was an eye-opening experience. The students took turns sampling various produce and products, and conducted interviews with the vendors to gain some insights into real-world vendor-customer interactions. The students were fascinated by how some vendors successfully carried their traditions into modern times by taking quality artisan products and repackaging them for cosmopolitan consumption; just like any business, these vendors took shifting consumer trends into account and rebranded their products for the modern customer.
There’s no better learning experience than trying out something for yourself. The students were sampling and asking about each product’s origins, individual flavours, and the unique selling point of various products sold throughout the market. Among the many eye-catching items on display include French cheese, Spanish jamón, divine Belgian chocolates, heavenly pastries, exotic Mediterranean olives and world spices.
It was definitely a productive trip to the market, one that gave the students insights into the world of food and beverages, business and marketing, product manufacturing, logistics, ethics and customer care.
