New Covent Garden Market launches innovative hub for London's food businesses

New Covent Garden Market has unveiled details of the first phase of its £130m re-development.

The Food Exchange is a workspace, kitchen space and food culture venue that will form the first stage of the Food Quarter, a serious food destination, at the heart of London's culinary scene.

The 40,000 sq ft space will span three floors and three outdoor roof-terraces, and is the first facility of its kind in the UK.

Daniel Tomkinson, CEO of Covent Garden Market Authority, said: "London is already widely recognised as one of the creative and cultural capitals of the world attracting established and emerging talent from around the globe. The Food Exchange will foster exciting food entrepreneurs and nurture the innovation of new start-ups on the journey to becoming the next big force in London's food scene. New Covent Garden Market has long been the home of pioneering enterprise and food expertise, making The Food Exchange a very natural next step in the market's illustrious food story."

Private studios will be ready to rent from 1 February 2018 for all types and sizes of businesses working in food, including food magazines, photographers, producers, PR agencies, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, recipe developers, stylists and writers.

It will house Mission Kitchen, London's largest and most inspiring shared kitchen, alongside private studios, with space for over 130 businesses working in food, a cookery school, an evolving food museum, a test kitchen, and outside space to host anything from beehives to polytunnels for growing. Mission Kitchen is due to open its doors in the autumn of 2018.

The building will also house event and meeting space, as well being on the doorstep of the historic New Covent Garden Market which is home to 175 food and flower businesses and already supplies 40% of the fruit and vegetables eaten out of home in London.

To find out more about the Food Exchange visit www.foodexchange.london

Supplier spotlight: Forced rhubarb

Supplier spotlight: Growing underground