Cologne wholesale market closes: retailers fight for new perspectives!

Cologne wholesale market closes: retailers fight for new perspectives!

In Cologne there is a lot of rumbling in the vegetable bin. The Cologne wholesale market in Raderberg is about to close, which was decided at the end of 2025. For many retailers, this means painful uncertainty because they have not found any alternatives. Helmut Röscheisen, board member of BUND, puts it in a nutshell: “We have to find solutions together to secure the supply of regionally produced food.” BUND actively supports retailers in their search for a new location, which is particularly crucial for the important nutritional transition in the region.

The closure is not without controversy. Council decisions that promote this development were criticized by many quarters as insufficient. The city's economic committee has described this as hypocritical, while the head of the city's development department, Andree Haack, has made it clear that the plans for Parkstadt Süd, which are to be realized by 2032, have been finalized. Norbert Heep, chairman of the IG Kölner Großmarkt, emphasizes the importance of the trading centers. “Up to 1,000 jobs are directly affected,” he says.

Looking for perspectives

The dealers turned to the city's economic development agency, Cologne-Business, but the support was perceived as insufficient. Kai Kröger from Köln-Business reports that only a few retailers have taken the initiative. This means that the demand for an interim solution for at least five years from January 2026 is becoming increasingly urgent.

Some traders, like Nevzat Thaskiran, have fortunately found a new home in the “Cologne ABA Frischecentrum” in Gremberghoven, but at higher rents. Finding a large, shared moving location remains problematic. Unfortunately, an area of ​​at least 30,000 square meters, which would be necessary for a successful move, is not available.

Urban development as a challenge

In the current urban development debates, there is more than just talk about the future of the wholesale market. The issue of housing construction and the creation of affordable living space is also on the agenda. Especially in growing cities like Cologne, the challenge is to accommodate the new residents well while at the same time making sensible use of the available space. This is in the area of ​​tension between constant immigration and the associated demands for suitable living spaces.

The city has a clear plan to establish the modern fresh food center in Cologne-Marsdorf, but implementation can be a challenge. Workshops with representatives of the dealer community and the city administration are intended to help develop successful structural planning. In addition, a Europe-wide market survey is being planned in order to attract possible operators and to obtain an overview of the market situation, as the city of Cologne informs in its communication.

The closure of the wholesale market in Raderberg demands a rethink from the city. Innovative approaches are required to make better use of the opportunities that arise from immigration and the creation of new jobs. It will be exciting to see how Cologne will develop in the coming period, because the challenges are diverse and require a good hand from politicians so that all residents and retailers can retain a piece of the “Cologne quality of life”.