Green Shoots is Market Harborough’s first 100% emission-free, eco-friendly courier service.
Founded by Karen and Peter Squires (who previously owned VIP Leisure Travel based at the Harborough Innovation Centre), they saw an opportunity to provide a cleaner alternative to mainstream delivery services as businesses switched their focus to online sales, and individuals discovered eBay, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace as they cleared their lofts and garages during lockdown.
“We are offering companies who currently use a courier service a quick and cost-effective way to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their environmental credentials by simply using us to make their deliveries in our fully electric van” explains Peter.
Fully charged, their Nissan eNV200 mid-sized van (which can take loads weighing up to 700kgs) has a range of over 150 miles and has a rapid charge facility that can extend that range by 90 miles in just over half an hour, allowing them to deliver across the UK (although it’s at its most efficient on shorter journeys).
“As a start-up business, we recognise that our pricing has to be both competitive and flexible based on our clients’ requirements, and we want to make it easy for companies to ‘go green’ (or become even greener!) without having to pay a premium” Peter continues. “And, as you would expect, special rates can be negotiated for regular and volume business.”
Although Green Shoots only started operating in October 2020, it is already in advanced discussions with its first potential franchisee. Their plans are to expand the business through franchising and increase their geographical cover significantly in the next few years, offering companies an even wider network of emission-free vans to deliver their goods in a sustainable way.
Anyone interested in finding out more about this service, and how it can reduce their company’s carbon footprint should contact Peter by email (hello@greenshoots.org.uk), by phone (07436 467286) or through social media (@Greenshoots2020 on Facebook/Twitter or @greenshoots_midlands on Instagram).