New firm becomes official delivery partner for Norwich Market
Surplush has been made the official delivery partner for Norwich Market - Credit: Lizzie Knight Photography
A new business that hopes to change the way we shop has been given a boost after becoming the official delivery partner for Norwich Market.
Surplush has been working with the city's market stalls and nearby companies since April to offer a new online marketplace and make it easier to shop local.
Its use of e-cargo bikes has also caught the attention of council bosses, who are in consultation with the team as part of efforts to achieve its pledge of zero carbon emissions by 2030.
The partnership with Norwich Market and Surplush will bring its stalls and nearby businesses under one online delivery platform - Credit: Lizzie Knight Photography
Guy Gillingwater, who founded the business with school friend Jake Starling, said: "We are extremely excited to be named the official delivery partner of Norwich Market.
"We are the first company to have achieved this and have done so by sharing its vision.
"By working together we can combat the reliance on supermarkets through offering a single online marketplace."
Surplush offers customers the chance to order products online from a variety of different market stalls and businesses, creating a simpler process through one platform rather than ordering from them individually.
"Now is a really important time to support local businesses as many are being lost or are struggling in the current economic climate," Mr Gillingwater said.
Most Read
- 1 Two neighbouring properties go up for sale - and they both need some TLC
- 2 Buses damaged in city centre collision
- 3 All you need to know ahead of the Lord Mayor's Celebration 2022
- 4 Blaze sees 20 passengers evacuated from city bus
- 5 New pub landlord welcomes back families and introduces street food menu
- 6 Road closures revealed for Lord Mayor's Celebration
- 7 Can you spot yourself in the Lord Mayor's Procession crowd?
- 8 Mobility scooter trashed by hazardous wheelie bins
- 9 Teen slapped with six points on licence - but she can't even drive
- 10 Thousands needed to restore historic Norwich village sign
"By buying local, the money goes back into the community rather than into the pockets of big supermarket chains or overseas.
"It doesn't have to be your entire weekly shop, small purchases make a huge difference if enough people do so."
Surplush has become Norwich Market's official delivery partner following its launch in April 2022. - Credit: Lizzy Knight Photography
New businesses have now been added to the platform, including City Fish fishmongers, Rainbow Wholefoods, and Planted, which specialises in tropical house plants.
Surplush is also leading the way through its use of e-cargo bikes, which have been touted as one way of moving towards a greener future.
Mr Gillingwater added: "We have been speaking with Jeremy Wiggin, Transport for Norwich Manager, and showed him one of our e-cargo bikes.
"They are exploring the use of e-cargo bikes as a way of transporting goods around the city, which is what we are doing already.
"We are hoping to work with them more with their efforts to turn Norwich into a low-emission zone."
