INTERVIEW // CHOCO FRUIT // Choco Fruit specialise in yummy Belgian chocolate covered fresh fruit. Our correspondent, Alanna, interviewed this Sunday Upmarket trader. Let's get the intros out of the way by telling us a bit about yourself and your background in market trading. Well Hello. My name is David and have worked in Retail all my professional life. I first got in to markets, Via car boot sales which I done for a few years. Selling unwanted possessions and making money gave me a real buzz. After that I got in to the whole Ebay thing, which was successful however I missed the interaction with face to face customers. I have worked for other people in a number of London's markets and thought it was time, I set up my own venture. I have also managed many large retail organizations where I have been fortunate enough to have delivered and exceeded all set targets, and made others lots of money and furthered their brands/company's, so I wanted to see if I could do this for myself. What was the inspiration for your product and how did you develop the brand? I worked in a similar business for some time, where the idea was developed. I learnt a lot about markets working for a company with a long history of market trading. They were happy for me to go it alone, and I felt with my many years of senior level retail management experience, could really drive my own version a lot further and focus more on adding value, and a great experience to the customer. There are a number of similar company's in Europe which I drew inspiration from. We strive to offer the best product possible using the best and freshest fruit, Luxury Belgian chocolate and toppings we can source. The Brand is in constant development and we believe this is an ongoing journey.        Why did you decide to trade at Sunday Upmarket in Brick Lane? Brick Lane has a fantastic environment, and we love the area. We felt this was the most happening place in London, which has really taken over from Camden in recent years. We found the staff at Truman also very friendly and helpful, counter to experiences with other market operators in the past. I feel the Sunday upmarket will go from strength to strength, and we are thrilled to be part of this. How has trading at Sunday Upmarket helped you and your company brand develop? It has given us exposer to a great target market, and to a consumer who may have not heard of us before. It enables us to interact with many different customers from all walks of life, from so called Hipsters to people from the art and creative worlds. We have fostered so great relationships, many of these customers or as we call them Raving fans now follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. We have also gained a number of private events from weddings to corporate events through being part of the market. We also have great feedback on product, and our brand from customers, which helps us deliver exactly what they want. Being part of The Old Truman Brewery's drive on social media has also recently given us a great boost. What are some of the problems you face as being a market trader? We do not have any major obstacles, personally I have a 9-5 Job which entails working all week so working weekends also, at times can be demanding, but being organized and having a burning passion for our business in the market combats that. We have a fun and playful Brand, so I feel as long as you are doing what you love you can deal with any obstacles which arrive along the way. What do you foresee the future looking like for your company? We see a bright future, and hope to firmly establish our business in the Sunday up market, as it is growing rapidly week on week, we are now seeing many repeat customers which is fantastic. We want to grow the events side of the business, we have a firm plan and vision to do this over the next year. We have done a few corporate events and weddings, where our product has been received exceptionally well, so this is definitely a major growth area for Chocofruit. Finally, what tips would you give to a budding trader? We focus on adding value, and providing an unrivaled level of service and customer experience. I strongly believe that if you think customer and have a good product, the rest will take care of its self. Perseverance, determination and having a good well trained team of staff/helpers is also crucial, a team who clearly understands your vision and buys in to it, who are well trained is also key. Most importantly have fun, if it's not fun don't do it. Choco Fruit can be found every Sunday at Sunday Upmarket. www.trumanbrewery.com Phone: +44 7770 6100 Events Department: events@trumanbrewery.com Estates Department: estates@trumanbrewery.com Press Enquiries: press@trumanbrewery.com Media, Online & Social: digital@trumanbrewery.com 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL