Imagine an ordinary shopping mall. Now, what if that mall was completely refrigerated and filled with wholesale fresh produce from end to end? That is Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM) in a nutshell.

Sonny DiCrecchio, President and CEO of PWPM, says it all. “This facility is unequaled for security, comfort, product safety, cold chain management, staging, loading, and recycling,” he says. “We are proud to be a leader in all aspects of best practices.”

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At 700,000 square feet of space, this state-of-the-art facility is the world’s largest, fully-refrigerated wholesale produce marketplace. Being in an indoor, consistently chilled facility keeps the shoppers and produce safe from the elements, while maximizing shelf life and ensuring the utmost freshness and crispness. Next week, PWPM will be celebrating its 3rd anniversary at its new facility, which is double the size of the old one and establishes the highest global standards for distribution of premium produce.

M. Levin and Company, Inc. is the oldest family-owned produce wholesaler at PWPM. Tracie Levin, who is part of the fourth generation of the family to work in the business, had this to say about her experience at PWPM. “The main benefits of being in the new produce market is that we do not break the cold chain, which is very important in maintaining the quality for fresh produce," she tells us. "We also feel that we are ahead of the curve as far as keeping up with new standards and government sanctioned food safety regulations because of this facility.”

Mike Watson of T. M. Kovacevich had similar sentiments, noting, “In the three years since we have been in the new market, we have had nothing but positive feedback. Our customers are finding that the product they buy here holds up better on their shelves. We can be sure that product that is being staged for orders is not sitting in the 100 degree heat that we can have in Philly in the summer. This winter was a true test of the market’s value to the merchants and to our customers. We were able to do business in a clean, safe temperature controlled environment, while other markets dealt with freezing temps and blowing snow.”

PWPM caters to the wholesale trade as well as retail and foodservice. The public is welcome to come shop at the facility, but they are required to buy in wholesale quantities.

If you’re ever planning to go to Philadelphia, this is one market you must see. We congratulate the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market on its third anniversary, and wish for many more successful years to come!

Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market