Central Mayorista: A Guide to the Huge Market in Itagüí

Central Mayorista de Antioquia is a huge market in Itagüí near Medellín with hundreds of stores. It’s a place where you can find seemingly unlimited amounts of vegetables and fresh fruits and other groceries.

Mayorista means wholesaler. So, you will find many wholesalers in the area selling large quantities of goods but they also sell smaller retail quantities. Here you can find huge bags of potatoes and onions and many other items for sale.

Central Mayorista is so big it has four grocery stores including Boom, Euro, Olímpico and Pacardyl. And these grocery stores have very fresh produce being located next to the largest food wholesale market in Antioquia.

The Olímpico grocery store in Mayorista

The Boom grocery store in Mayorista

You can find many groceries being sold in Mayorista for lower prices than in Exito or Jumbo.

Produce and meats are the main products but you can find many other products being sold. In addition, this market is where some small grocery stores in the Medellín metro area buy products and also some of the restaurants.

I have shopped at Mayorista several times over the past eight years. But I rarely shop there anymore, as I normally shop at grocery stores closer to where I live.

Central Mayorista in Itagüí, photo courtesy of Central Mayorista

History of Central Mayorista

Central Mayorista de Antioquia began in 1969, as a response to the urban and social problems in the sector of Guayaquil, with the traditional businesses of the area. So, this trade center was built and began its operations in April 1971, initially with 180 stores, located in three blocks.

In 1987, Copropiedad Central Mayorista de Antioquia was formed to manage the space, as a private, non-profit institution.

Currently, Mayorista is the most important agri-food supply center in northwestern Colombia. It now has about 288,000 square meters of space in 29 blocks.

Approximately 15,000 people work in Mayorista with a total of about 1,500 merchants. And about 9,000 tons of food are offered there daily. Also, reportedly more than 60,000 people go there on a daily basis due to the competitive prices.

Central Mayorista is much larger than the Plaza Minorista market we looked at previously.

Onions for sale in huge bags

What Can You Find in Central Mayorista?

Central Mayorista is probably best known for its vegetables and fruits. Beyond a large selection of vegetables and fruits, you can find meats, fish, four big grocery stores and many other stores.

The Euro grocery store in Mayorista

The Pacardyl grocery store in Mayorista

You can find many groceries in Mayorista for lower prices than other locations in Medellín. That is why it’s a very popular place. Also, keep in mind you can negotiate the prices in some of the stores.

Here are some prices I saw there recently:

• Pineapple – 1 kilo for 900 pesos
• Carrots –1 kilo for 1,400 pesos
• White onions – 1 kilo for 1,600 pesos
• Tilapia – 1 kilo for 15,000 pesos
• 1 whole chicken – 5,880 pesos
• AA eggs – 1 dozen for 3,120 pesos

Also, there are several banks in Central Mayorista including Banco de Bogotá, Bancolombia, Banco Caja Social and Colpatria.

In addition, there are some good restaurants here. El Barco is a seafood restaurant siting above the Buena Mar fish market a short walk outside of Central Mayorista from the main entrance.

El Barco is a hidden gem and is typically filled with Colombians who know how good it is. However, this restaurant is only open at noon to 4 pm every day. Also, try to eat upstairs on the third floor. The table by the corner window on the third floor provides a nice view, if you can get it.

In addition, restaurant Camarón y Pez is another good seafood restaurant, which is located in block 31 in Mayorista. It has a good reputation with locals and on Fridays there is normally a line to enter.

The food court in the building at the main entrance

Finally, there is large building at the main entrance to Central Mayorista that has a food court and a number of small shops.

The main entrance to Mayorista

How to Get to Central Mayorista

It’s easy to get to Central Mayorista by using the Medellín Metro. This large market is located in Itagüí. And it’s located about a short 5-minute walk from the Ayura metro station on Line A.

Central Mayorista is about a 5-minute walk from the Ayura metro station

Also, all taxi drivers in the Medellín metro area will know where Central Mayorista is located. And when you leave, normally there are some taxis at the Ayura metro station. So, it’s typically easy to catch a taxi.

Website:  https://www.lamayorista.com.co/

Address: Calle 85 # 48-01, Itagüí

Phone: +57 4 285 4815

Hours: Central Mayorista is open Monday to Sunday: 2:00 am to 10:00 pm. But the stores have shorter hours for customers and many of the smaller stores are closed on the weekends.

Watermelons for sale at Mayorista

The Bottom Line: Central Mayorista – Medellín’s Wholesale Market

Central Mayorista is a huge and interesting market with low prices and lots of local color in the small shops. So, it is worth a visit. It’s an old-fashioned market for both commercial and retail customers and bargaining is possible.

This is a good place to shop, as you can find cheaper grocery prices than most other places in the Medellín metro area. Also, we included Mayorista in our guide to grocery shopping in Medellín.

In addition, we recommend going in the morning or early afternoon, as some places close in the late afternoon.

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