Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Mercabarna has the first wholesale organic food market in Spain and the largest in Europe in terms of the number of fruit and vegetable companies. The new Biomarket is another step forward in marketing and selling this type of food, facilitating its distribution and satisfying the growing demand for organic produce.

The Biomarket is housed in an energy-efficient sustainable building of nearly 9,000 square metres, given over exclusively to bio produce. The sales area (2,500 square metres) features sixteen stalls operated by wholesale companies, two for agri-cooperatives, three for multi-product businesses and various rotational spaces for new local producers to sell directly. The goal is to offer new business opportunities for local farmers.

Mercabarna’s goals with this initiative are to:

• Take organic produce to citizens through the usual shopping outlets, retailers, bars and restaurants.
• Contribute with the wholesale sector and with local producers to back this type of food with a market which brings together what’s available and increases visibility.
• Promote competition between distributors.
• Protect small and medium sized local producers and facilitate the sale of their produce.
• Facilitate health and hygiene control, certification and product traceability.

Forty companies specialising in the sale and distribution of organic produce were already operating at Mercabarna, ten of which will now be present at the new market.

Towards more sustainable food

The Biomarket is an opportunity for local farmers as it offers spaces for individual producers and cooperatives. It will also house an innovative distribution centre for local produce from small and medium sized farming operations.

The initiative responds to one of the challenges in the city’s sustainable eating strategy and the ‘World Sustainable Food Capital 2021.