Rungis is located about 6 kilometers south of Paris, with direct access to important infrastructure like highways and railways. The more than 250 hectare large market was established there more than 30 years ago when the famous Parisian Les Halles markets moved from the city center.
Nowadays the Rungis market is the largest in the world for the daily wholesale of meat, cheese, fish, flowers and fruit and vegetables. Every year, 1,5 million tonnes on fresh products changes hands at Rungis.
The wholesale market is that large, 234 hectare in acreage, but more than 600 hectares in terms of available storage space, that it has its own hospital, police station, barbershop, restaurants, banks, post office and even kindergarten.
The 1,200 trading companies and the 12,000 employees at Rungis are responsible for the daily trade at the wholesale market. Everyday more than 5,000 buyers visit the market, resulting in a annual turnover of more than 7 billion euro. Nearly 25,000 vehicles leave the wholesale market everyday, 3,000 of them being large heavy trucks.
Most of the buyers are specialty shops, traders, restaurants and chefs who are looking for the most freshest and highest quality products, but lately also more and more supermarkets find their way to Rungis.
Click here to see the photo report of the Rungis international wholesale market.