Roddick-backed ethical supermarket expands
A SUPERMARKET that launched only five months ago with £200,000 from private backers including Body Shop veteran Gordon Roddick is planing its second store after breaking even in just a month.
The Brighton store, called how it Should be or his be for short, was set up by sisters Ruth and Amy Anslow and aims to provide an alternative to the grocery giants, by selling what its calls affordable groceries sourced ‘responsibly’. It is now considering opening a second outlet in neighbouring Hove.
It claims it offers a better deal to suppliers, with an average of 59p in every pound taken going to them. For some products the rate is far higher. For example, from a 50p pint of milk, 41p goes to the local dairy farmer who produced it. This compares with the national average of 19p, according to industry body Dairy Co.
Ruth says: ‘We are ahead of our sales target for the first quarter. We have about 2,000 people coming a week, so it is a solid start. We had a lot of support on opening, building the concept and the brand.
‘We want it to be affordable, good stuff in one place, and a friendly social environment where you are not bombarded with information about threefor-twos. Our fruit and vegetables are doing very well and we get milk and eggs directly from the farmer.’
Roddick, who cofounded The Body Shop in Brighton with his late wife, Anita, put £20,000 into hiSbe’s launch and acts as a business mentor.