Premium produce at Borough Market

The first generation of the Foster family sets up a greengrocer stall at Tachbrook Street Market in Pimlico, London. It marks the beginning of a passion for produce that would span generations.

By the 1970s, Tachbrook Market is bustling with stalls run by different members of the Foster family. Fred Foster joins the family tradition, working with Uncle Jonny, whose stall was known for selling fresh, vibrant salad produce.

Fred and Caroline Foster take over Uncle Jonny’s stall and launch ‘Fosters of Pimlico’. With a £1,000 loan and a second-hand van, begin supplying London’s top restaurants with fresh wholesale, premium produce.

Fred begins working with legendary chef Nico Ladenis, known for his exacting standards. By 1995, Turnips is supplying all of Ladenis’ restaurants—an influential partnership that shapes the company’s approach to produce sourcing and chef-led quality.

After over a century at Tachbrook Street, the Fosters move to Borough Market to focus on wholesale restaurant supply. They rebrand as Turnips, inspired by then-Chelsea FC manager Graham Taylor’s unforgiving nickname, “Turnip-Head.”

Turnips begins importing fresh herbs from the Canary Islands and making weekly trips to Rungis Market in Paris—laying the groundwork for a sourcing network that blends the best of Europe with trusted UK farms.

Turnips partners with legendary designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran, supplying all his restaurants including Bluebird and Bibendum – cementing a reputation as a trusted supplier to fine dining.

Borough Market hosts its first-ever warehouse sale. Turnips, along with Neal’s Yard Dairy, Brindisa and Lena Florists, invite customers behind the scenes. The unexpected success of the event inspires a series of quarterly ‘Food Lovers Fairs,’ drawing crowds from across London.

Thanks to its popularity, traders and trustees of Borough Market decide to host the Food Lovers Fair monthly. The market starts to expand, new traders join, and Borough begins its transformation into a modern food destination. The success of the fair leads to turnips begin itss journey into retail.

Fred Foster makes UK food history by importing rocket for the first time. This bold move earns him the nickname “Rocket Man” and cements Turnips as a favourite among Michelin-starred chefs. Read more in The Independent

Turnips launches its first juice bar at Borough Market. Fresh fruits and vegetables are hand-pressed every morning to maximise flavour champion sustainability by reducing food waste—bringing customers a delicious, eco-conscious way to enjoy seasonal produce at its best.

As part of its sustainability mission, Turnips begins cooking with surplus wild and foraged mushrooms from their stall displays– girolles, morrells black trumpets, and more. The result? A Wild Mushroom Risotto that becomes one of Borough’s most talked about hot dishes.

Over the following years, the team experiments with soups, wraps, and pizzas, making the most of every ingredient.

2017: The market closed for ten days after the horrific London Bridge Terror Attack. It was a sombre and uncertain time – both emotionally and economically- for traders and the local community.

2019: During the Fishmonger’s Hall terror attack, armed police swept through Borough Market. At Turnips, over 50 people hid in our walk-in fridge – it was a frightening moment for all at the market, and a deeply tragic day for London.

With Borough Market encouraging traders to embrace alfresco dining, Turnips seizes the moment and partners with chef Tomas Lidakevicius to build a restaurant. The concept: Michelin-level food served from a market stall. It earns widespread critical acclaim and a devoted following until its forced closure in 2024.

Turnips begins selling what would become one of the market’s most iconic treats: Chocolate-covered Strawberries. Combining world-class berries with the finest Belgian chocolate – they quickly attract queues, cameras, and loyal fans.

With the arrival of Covid-19, Borough Market changes overnight. Restaurants close, catering disappears, and Turnips returns to its roots – selling fresh fruit and veg. But the local community rallies and Londoners rediscover the importance of open-air markets and independent traders. Read more in The Telegraph.

Turnips plays a central role in ‘Feed the Frontline’, responsible for picking, packing, and delivering more than 60,000 bags of fresh produce a week to NHS workers across London during lockdown. This initiative brings back the full tea – including industry friends and Michelin-starred chefs – and provides a renewed sense of purpose during a difficult time.

With restriction easing, Turnips and Borough Market being a slow, determined rebuild – welcoming familiar faces, forging new partnerships, and adapting to a changed city. As part of this rebuild Turnips opened the now famous wild mushroom risotto stand.

As international visitors return and a new wave of locals discovers Borough Market, Turnips continues to evolve. Chocolate-covered Strawberries become a viral favourite, and Triple Cooked Chips with homemade seasonal dips join the menu. The stall remains a destination for chefs, food lovers and curious tourists—guided, as ever, by a commitment to quality, seasonality and sustainability.