FrischeParadies has been located at Frischezentrum Essen since the 1970s. What once began with a modest sales area over the years has grown into a recognized cash & carry market for both commercial and private high-end customers. "We don't define ourselves by price, but by the quality of our products, and we focus strongly on upscale restaurants," says Christoph Wlotzki, who has been at the helm of the Essen location as store manager since 2004.
Christoph Wlotzki (r) has been branch manager of the Essen FrischeParadies since 2004.
The FrischeParadies, in the heart of the Essen fresh food center.
The latest milestone in the history of FrischeParadies was the opening of a bistro with over 40 seats in 2017. Wlotzki: "The purpose of this concept was to make it possible to experience the food we sell here. That means you can not only eat here, but we also host cooking classes, theme nights and seminars."
Although fish and seafood remain the company's core competency, the assortment has grown steadily over the years, he said. Fruits and vegetables also play a significant role, according to Wlotzki. "We focus strongly on unusual items in this area, such as Chioggia beetroot, palm kale, sprouts or even Thai goods such as Nam Dok Mai mangoes, mangosteen as well as Asian vegetables. We're not the place to go for standard produce like peppers and iceberg lettuce, although those items round out our vegetable selection."
The first signs of spring are gradually arriving.
Apples on the shelves.
The onion assortment.
Seasonality and regionality are particularly important to FrischeParadies, he says. At the moment, German early asparagus and early porcini mushrooms can be found on the shelves. "We want to be early to market with seasonal items and our customers particularly appreciate that. We try to offer local or regional products as much as possible and also support regional startups," Wlotzki says, pointing to the partnership with the Witten-based vertical farming startup vGreens, whose strawberries have been available exclusively at FrischeParadies for a few months.
Various sprouts and cresses.
High-quality vegetables in characteristic wooden crates.
Black truffles.
The tomato assortment.
The company benefits from its location at the local fresh produce center and the proximity of fruit and vegetable retailers and meat suppliers. Wlotzki: "We are right at the source, so to speak, and clearly feel the synergy. The customer also benefits from this structure, as he has access to the complete range of products at a single point of purchase. As a result, pickup in Essen still plays a significant role compared with many other cities. Although many people could opt for deliveries, they still travel to the wholesale market to be inspired on site."
Tubers and edible mushrooms.
Monk's beard or barba di frate.
Asian fruit products: mangosteen (l) and Nam-Dok-Mai mangoes.
This trend will continue in the future, according to Wlotzki. "We as FrischeParadies are in a niche and also have an educational function. The important thing here is that you can smell, taste, touch and see the produce on site." Even the past few Covid years haven't slowed the growth trend in regional foodservice, he continues. "During Covid, we focused more and more on delivering to end customers, and the trend is still increasing after the pandemic."
For more information:
Christoph Wlotzki
FrischeParadies GmbH & Co KG
Frischezentrum Essen
T: +49 0201 8313 416
[email protected]
www.frischeparadies.de