Since 1926, the Kailis family vision has been to connect consumers with Western Australia’s freshest and finest seafood. Their business, AJ Langford, is one of Perth Markets’ longest tenants with their family-run business being an active member of the markets since the 1950’s.
“From my family’s point of view, our wholesale auction house business is a cornerstone of our history. It’s where it all began,” said AJ Langford Director, Theodore Kailis.
“It is also the cornerstone of our long-term relationships with fishermen up and down the coast and for me, it’s the most grounding part of our business.
“We are incredibly passionate about our history at the Markets. As a kid, I would work alongside my father. When I became a father, my kids came with me. It is engrained in our family legacy and we feel somewhat nostalgic about the place.”
Mr Kailis describes AJ Langford’s primary purpose was (and remains) to connect the fishermen to wholesale buyers; making WA’s extraordinary variety of seafood available across the depth and breadth of Western Australia.
He also expresses his family’s pride that the business they run today has stayed true to these roots.
“We are incredibly passionate about our business and proud of its generational heritage. Today, my family is honored to deal with the same fishermen families that we were dealing with when our business was founded almost 70 years ago.
“The people I deal with today are the children and grandchildren of the fishermen that my dad dealt with all those years ago. This is something quite special and unique, and we place high value on these historical relationships.
Theodore and family, including his two sons remain very close to the day-to-day running of the business.
“Every week I attend the Saturday Clearance Market. I love the hustle and bustle of it. The noise, the boxes being thrown around and being surrounded by the action. Just thinking about it makes me feel nostalgic.”
AJ Langford is a seafood wholesaler at Perth Markets and is a popular tenant of the Saturday Clearance Market; where the community access high quality seafood at outstanding prices.
