New online grocery is championing home grown food producers

A MANCHESTER businessman has launched an innovative online grocery retail platform to the North West, to champion home-grown food producers, with plans to embark on an ambitious UK roll-out.

Philip Edge has launched Bearfaced Groceries to challenge the ‘Big Six’ supermarkets with fresh, high-quality ingredients, cutting out the middleman between suppliers and customers.

The company, headquartered in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, is an online portal for fresh, affordable food and drink, with an impressive portfolio of suppliers offering fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and alcohol.

Managing director of Edge Worldwide Logistics, Philip, has joined former school friends Barry Hymanson and Adrian Sullivan from Manchester Grammar for the venture. The three friends came together to offer both suppliers and customers a better deal.

Bearfaced Groceries provides customers with fresh food straight to their doors using a ‘buy-to-order’ strategy, so that stock leaves for the customer on the same day that it arrives from the producer – rather than remaining on supermarket shelves or in storage depots.

Initially launching in the North West, the company plans to roll out nationally early next year.

Edge said: “Many UK producers have been longing to give customers a compelling alternative to the ‘Big Six’ supermarkets for some time.

“We’ve chosen the North West to pilot the delivery service as it has a diverse cross section of consumers and we know the logistics requirements inside out.

“Bearfaced is using modern logistics and an old-fashioned belief in quality produce to offer better deals for suppliers and consumers alike.

“We are tackling the horrendous food waste issues that have been hitting the headlines for far too long head-on with our unique offering which cuts wastage and offers much fresher produce than the outdated supermarket model.”

It is hoped that Bearfaced Groceries will achieve a £5m turnover within its first 18 months, while there are ambitious plans for ongoing expansion in the pipeline.

Among the suppliers signed up to Bearfaced Groceries is Preston-based greengrocers Sharrocks.

Wilf Whittle, business development manager at Sharrocks, said: “Bearfaced Groceries is an innovative concept and the company is genuinely fair to suppliers and produce growers alike. It offers us the unique chance to focus on developing our product range further and offering something very special to Bearfaced customers.”

George Heler, the third generation of Helers at the helm of Crewe-based Joseph Heler Cheese, said: “Bearfaced makes perfect sense – the business puts us directly in touch with people that really care about food. It’s very much in line with our mission of getting our products from farm to fork as efficiently as possible.”

As well as providing consumers with fresh produce, Bearfaced Groceries wants to educate people on the benefits of buying produce direct from the source and supporting UK-based businesses.

Hymanson, who is head of operations at Bearfaced Groceries, added: “As consumers ourselves, we spotted a gap in the market for restaurant-quality groceries that don’t end up costing the earth.

“Food really can be of the highest quality, but also competitively priced – that way, everyone from the supplier to the end consumer can benefit from great home-grown UK produce.

“Rather than the hassle of multiple trips to convenience stores, our customers can get the fresh produce they want all in one place, quickly and easily online.”

The company works alongside other North West producers such as Creamline Dairies, Morning Foods and Hammonds of Knutsford, as well as smaller farmers and grocers, and is currently looking to expand its range of UK-based suppliers.