UK cargo bike delivery service Zedify has partnered with Tower Hamlets Council and local housing provider Poplar Harca to run a pilot project which will deliver customers’ shopping from Chrisp Street Market to their home.
The London bike project is called “Chrisp Street Delivers” and will launch on January 24 to help customers with bulky items when the parking lot nearby closes at the end of the month.
Participating retailers will arrange deliveries at a time that suits the shopper. As the service prevents the need for van and car trips, it is also expected to improve local air quality and reduce CO2 emissions. For this reason, the initiative has been jointly funded by London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the Greater London Authority as part of the Business Low Emission Neighbourhood program.
Additionally, Zedify has raised £1.2m (US$1.6m) to support its growth into cities across the UK, in a round led by the sustainability-focused Green Angel Syndicate (GAS). Currently, the company operates out of nine UK cities through a combination of sustainable last-mile delivery hubs, e-cargo bike logistics and micro consolidation.
Since its initial seed round in 2020, Zedify has delivered over 800,000 parcels, saving approximately 550 metric tons of CO2.
It has also increase operational capacity in London, expanded its central team, opened in Bristol and tripled its annualized run rate. The latest round of funding will be used to develop Zedify’s technology, expand into new cities and develop further partnerships with local and national brands. Over the next four years, Zedify aims to expand to over 45 hubs.
Zedify was founded in 2018 by Rob King and Sam Keam. King said, “We are honored and delighted by the latest raise for Zedify which will enable us to continue our ambitious growth plans to expand our sustainable and ethical delivery service. The investment is another indicator of the huge potential for revolutionizing the way deliveries are done in cities. We must act quickly in the UK if we’re to make good our net zero goals and give all city dwellers the clean air and liveable cities they deserve.”
Cam Ross, CEO of GAS, said, “We first invested in Zedify in 2020, and it was evident then that Rob and Sam and their teams were building something special. Zedify’s model is terrific – not only do they improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions in city centers, but their operation can be deployed quickly into new cities. I am really looking forward to seeing which cities are next!”
Tomos Jones, regional manager for Zedify London, said, “Our zero-emission electric cargo bikes are better for the environment than cars and vans. They also help to cut congestion and create safer streets, all while enabling residents to shop local with convenient home deliveries, straight to the doorstep!”