About us
Our History 1
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From ‘greengrocer’ to national foodservice company

In 1945 William Reynolds set up a fruit and veg stall at the Ridley Road Market in Hackney, London. That was the start of the Reynolds fruit and vegetable business, a company that today supplies an extensive range of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, dairy and salads to some of the most famous names in the catering and foodservice industries.

William’s dream was to delight his customers with the very best fresh produce. A dream that is lived today through William’s son, Dave, his grandson, Tony, and his great-grandson Tom.  Today, Tony Reynolds oversees the growth of the business supported by a dynamic management team, who ensure that everyone at Reynolds works with passion and integrity, and that we all deliver the quality of service and care that our customers expect.

1945

William Reynolds sets up his fruit and veg stall at Ridley Road Market, Hackney.

1988

Reynolds starts supplying fruit and veg to restaurants in London and the Home Counties.

1989

William, his son and grandson open a bigger fruit and veg business at the Old Spitalfields Market in Whitechapel.

1991

The Reynolds’ fruit and veg company moves to Spitalfields Market in Leyton.

2001

Reynolds opens its first regional depot in Manchester.

2002

Reynolds opens its second regional depot in Bristol.

2003

Reynolds opens depots in the Midlands and in Scotland, allowing the company to offer next-day deliveries across the UK.

2005

Reynolds opens a 140,000 sq ft temperature controlled national distribution facility in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire.

2009

Reynolds launches an extensive dairy and cheese range in response to customer demand.

2010

Reynolds optimises its supply chain through investment in staff and a new IT operating system, providing a solid platform for future growth.

2010

Reynolds opens a new, state-of-the-art development kitchen, to assist customers in designing and delivering innovative menu solutions and bespoke food offers.

2011

Tony Reynolds, Managing Director, is named Business Person of the Year at the Hertfordshire Business Awards.

2012

Reynolds increases its range of Red Tractor Farm Assured fresh fruit, vegetables, salads and dairy products to over 100 items.

2014

Tom Reynolds, William's great-grandson and the fourth generation of the family to work at Reynolds, joins the team at Waltham Cross.

2014

Reynolds expands its distribution capability in response to demand, with a 70% increase in capacity at Waltham Cross.

2014

Reynolds opens its fifth regional depot in Leeds.

2015

Reynolds opens its sixth regional depot in Bury St Edmunds.

2015

Reynolds opens its seventh regional depot in Gillingham.

2015

REDEMA, the Reynolds purpose-built, handheld driver companion device, is launched.

2016

Carnivore is launched, our specialist butchery division.

2017

Shoal is launched, our specialist fishmonger business. This development, along with Carnivore, is a major step towards Reynolds becoming the go-to chilled food solution for the UK foodservice industry.

2017

Reynolds opens its eighth regional depot in Eastleigh.

2018

Reynolds acquires Solstice, a high-end national greengrocer based in Wimbledon.

2018

Reynolds opens its ninth regional depot in Newbury.

2019

Nick Reynolds, Tony's youngest son, joins the family business.