Senior Management
Jason Tanner - Chairman
I started working in 1986 as a stock controller at Emmets at Windsor where I got my passion for the Fresh Produce Industry. Then in 1988 I moved to Louis Reece in New Covent Garden Market as a cashier, I was then quickly promoted to a Junior Salesman. After a couple of years I was asked to open and manage a Fruit Department for Louis Reece on the Growers Pavilion in New Covent Garden which quickly become a successful business. Then came the opportunity to join Gilgroves Fruit Department working alongside Roger Garber which between us we turned the department around to make it a Major Fruit Wholesaler in New Covent Garden.
Roger and I both left Gilgrove in 1999 and joined Premier Fruit Western International as a joint venture and opened the company in New Covent Garden. After two years we split the company and independent from Premier Western International we opened up Premier Fruits Covent Garden Limited.
I am also active in contributing to the success of New Covent Garden Market through my role as Deputy Chairman on CGTA and we all look forward to the completion of the New Market.
Today we are the UK leading independent wholesaler and since our inception we have added Premier Fruit Catering, Premier Fruits Prepared and Premier Fruits Direct.
Going forward our aim is for the continued success and development of Premier Fruits as a major player in the UK Fresh Produce Industry.
Richard Hickson - Managing Director
My fresh produce career starter in the mid-nineties with Fyffe’s, the leading fresh produce importer in Europe. During my years with Fyffe’s I have held such positions as Quality & Control, Banana Ripening, Production, Sales & Distribution, Commercial & Marketing and Importations. Working within these varied roles has helped in giving me the combined working knowledge needed to operate efficiently within this demanding industry.
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The Premier fruits team has already achieved a great deal in a short space of time, including the recognition of their hard work from the RE-FRESH awards two years running. I start my new journey, safe in the knowledge that both my colleagues and I are fully committed in making Premier Fruits the continued success story that it is today. I’m committed to the Premier success story
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Perry Simpson
My New Covent Garden employment history is quite simply Premier Fruits. Starting as a Warehouse man I soon realised I wanted to progress to sales, through continued hard work and enthusiasm and I made my ambitions known which the company had already recognised and as soon as the opportunity arose I was offered a position as a Salesmen and not looked back since.
Richard Clements - Started out in 1985 in the families retail business and loved his visits to the wholesale market where he got the bug. Joined SJ Thorogood in New Covent Garden as a Salesmen in 1995 after 10 years moved to P&I Fruit eventually joining Premier Fruits in 2014.
Scott Kocurek
Started at 16 years old working for LH Starns in New Covent Garden. Joined P&I Fruits back in 1997 before joining Premier Fruits in 2016.
Roger Garber
: I started in the wholesale fruit business sweeping floors, in the late 1960’s, at Louis Reece in Spitalfields Market. I left Louis Reece in 1987 as Managing Director of Louis Reece Covent Garden, having spent time in the Supermarket Supply Department and the UK English Apple Desk.
In between 1987 and 1999 I spent my time trading in Covent Garden at Gilgrove, increasing the turnover to £5m p.a. In 1999, Jason Tanner and I created Premier Fruits (Covent Garden). We have subsequently increased the turnover and profitability of Premier Fruits by widening the range of products sold through investment in our warehouses.
Alex Bojica
I started in the fresh produce industry back in 2008 as a warehouse manager in Yorkshire. In 2010 i was given the opportunity to move to the south coast to manage the warehouse for a fresh produce business focusing on prepared after a short while i was promoted to buyer. In 2015 i joined Premier Fruits specialising on the supply to the Cruise Ships and Airlines.We all live by our company motto .
#As Fresh As It Gets!