London’s Borough Market has teamed up with tech and logistics business Good Sixty, which focuses on independent food retailers, to create a new online market shopping experience in the capital.
Borough Market claims it is the first UK produce market to participate in this growing trend by launching a ‘click and collect’ shopping option for customers, along with a sustainable local delivery service powered by zero emission electric bikes.
London’s oldest market, known for 1,000 years for its traditional business, has long been a pioneer of sustainable innovation – such as with the installation of its water fountains in 2017, drive to eradicate single use plastic bottles and the recent introduction (in September 2019) of compostable bags for traders to use.
Driven by the vision of Borough Market’s charitable trust, and the technology developed by Good Sixty, the Market is preparing for its next stage as a provider of world-class national and international produce.
“Through Good Sixty, people will be able to shop seamlessly and securely and have their favourite produce from Borough delivered directly to their door,”Chris Edwards, Founder and Managing Director, Good Sixty said. “The new platform not only helps support Borough’s independent retailers and producers but ensures the Market is ready for the future, offering Londoners an ethical way to shop online.”
The Market’s online shopping platform is available now for customers to order produce from a wide range of participating Borough Market traders, and those that like to plan ahead will be able to book their slots for Christmas deliveries. Shoppers can visit as many of the trader pages as they wish, adding goods to a virtual shopping basket as they go. Once the order is placed, Good Sixty will gather the produce from the relevant traders and place them in a designated hub within the Market. From here, customers can either collect their order at the Market between 12 pm and 9 pm – or it will be dispatched via state-of-the-art, zero-emission electric cargo bike to their address at a pre-booked time slot.
At launch, the delivery service will be available to residents within a 1.5-mile radius of the Market, with a view to expanding across London in 2020.
“Those who shop at Borough Market do so because they know that the produce here is high quality, sustainably sourced and often unique,” Darren Henaghan, Managing Director, Borough Market said: “While shoppers will continue to want to peruse our many market stalls – taking in the atmosphere, speaking to our knowledgeable traders and discovering something new – we are delighted to be working with Good Sixty to offer an alternative to those who for whatever reason are unable to make it down to us in person.
“Our online service will ensure that more people are able to regularly get hold of ingredients that they simply wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere. We have listened to what our customers want and are excited to be able to spread our wings in this way, focusing first on local customers in London, but with a view of increasing our reach later down the line.”
Good Sixty was founded in Bristol in 2016 and it currently operates a similar service for local retailers in Bristol and Bath.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Borough Market. The quality and provenance of the produce is outstanding, as is the traders’ passion in what they do,” says Edwards at Good Sixty: “The new service has been designed to reflect these qualities online, giving users real insight into each stall and the individuals behind them. Discovering new delicacies and the traders who make the Market so special makes shopping on the platform really enjoyable.
“The service will make the Market accessible to many more, opening it up to those who love shopping there but don’t always have the time to explore it on foot. Borough Market can become a place where more people do their weekly shop, instead of having to rely on supermarkets.”
Customers can visit the Borough Market/Good Sixty online ordering page to check postcode eligibility for electric bike delivery, or choose to use the click and collect service.
