Zero regret for boss as new shop is massive hit
COMMUNITY PRAISED FOR HELPING FUND LAUNCH OF ZERO WASTE STORE
WHEN eco-entrepreneur Jake Walker set up his zero-packaging business five years ago, he started with a £500 loan and a 20-year-old Nissan Micra which he used to visit markets from Ossett to Holmfirth.
The concept of ‘zero waste living’ hadn’t really caught on back in 2018 and, he admits, some people were ‘slightly baffled’ by what he was offering, while others weren’t convinced about the benefits of reducing the use of plastics and packaging.
Almost two years and many thousands of miles later, Jake opened his first shop, called Zero Yorkshire, in Carr Road, Slaithwaite, in Huddersfield’s Colne Valley.
The village was recently named the Best Place to Live in the North and Jake found it’s a perfect fit for his business.
He christened it “England’s smallest zero waste shop” and set about piling up the products - from pasta to chocolate - from floor to ceiling.
Jake had more success selling his ‘green’ vision in ‘Slawit’ and it became apparent his tiny shop just wasn’t big enough.
He then launched a crowd funder which brought in an incredible £8,000 from the local community to help the shop move and grow.
Jake was delighted by the financial help. Anyone who donated £100 or more got the option of getting it back in goods once the new shop was up and running.
The money has paid for new fridges for plant-based milk, cow’s milk, yoghurt, etc, and has paid towards an expanded range, from oils and vinegars to skincare products.
Jake said he was very grateful for everyone’s support, adding: “To everyone that has supported my little shop, van pop-up and market stall, I am beyond grateful.
“Not only have they kept a small business going and supported a family, but also helped reduce waste in our communities.”
His partner, Meg, said ‘scaling-up’ was expensive “and he wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of the wonderful community of ‘Slawit’ and beyond, who have almost collectively funded the entire project with individual donations and offers to help set up the new shop.
“He’s raised just over £8,000 from the community alone, and we have had people helping us from the kindness of their own hearts from plumbers to painters, it’s been a real team effort!”
Jake has worked out how much plastic and packaging Zero Yorkshire has saved from being thrown away since he started. It includes 3,500 one-litre bottles of household products, 450 plastic toothbrushes, 1,250 250g bags of coffee beans, and 6,250 500g bags of food refills. Jake says: “Not bad for a shop smaller than a garage.”
His new home is 6 Kiln Hill, Slaithwaite.