Startup Profile: Farmdrop

  • Farmdrop is a London-based startup providing locally sourced grocery delivery services.
  • The company was founded by Ben Pugh in 2012.
  • Farmdrop has raised a total of £20.8 million in 6 funding rounds.

 

 

About Farmdrop 

 

Farmdrop is a grocery delivery service focussing on locally sourced food. The company provides farm-to-table fresh foods to customers in London, as well as ethically-sourced household products.

Farmdrop was founded in 2012 by Ben Pugh, a former stockbroker for Morgan Stanley. Ben aimed to create an ethical grocer that provides fresh food directly from local farmers who are paid properly. Farmdrop was initially launched as a ‘click and collect’ service with grocery pick up at local collection points. However, the company has since become a door-to-door delivery service. In September 2019, Ben Pugh announced he was passing the leadership baton to then Farmdrop CFO Eleanor Herrin to become the new CEO.

 

 

Farmdrop founder
Farmdrop CEO Eleanor Herrin with founder Ben Pugh.

 

 

The company promotes farmer-friendly values. Farmdrop offers the best payment terms for farmers giving them the ability to use the most sustainable methods. Farmdrop’s pays food suppliers roughly double what they would receive from a supermarket. The company states “fairer payment terms gives farmers and other food producers the resources to conserve their land and look after their animals responsibly”.

 

 

How Does it Work?

 

Farmdrop has a mobile app platform that customers use to interact with the company. The app offers a wide selection of fresh foods from a local supply chain, as well as organic and biodynamic beers, wines, and spirits. All of the meat is British, free-range, organic, or pasture-fed. Farmdrop offers next day delivery on orders from 7 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. The company takes measures to be sustainable, including using fully electric vehicles and reducing packaging. In 2019, Farmdrop launched an initiative to reduce plastic use in its fresh produce deliveries and now employs 100% plastic-free packaging. The company uses environmentally friendly plant-based compostable bags.

 

Farmdrop delivery
Home deliveries arrive in zero-emission electric vans

 

 

In August 2019, Farmdrop diversified into ready-meals available for delivery via the app . The Made by Farmdrop range comes from a kitchen in Shoreditch using fresh ingredients and sustainable packaging. Their 100% plastic-free packaging is considered a first for the ready-meal industry. 

 

 

Farmdrop meal
The Made by Farmdrop Chargrilled Chicken Caesar Salad uses organic chicken sourced from Wood Green Farm in Devon.

 

 

£20.8 Million in Funding

 

Farmdrop has raised a total of £20.8 million in 6 funding rounds since its foundation. In June 2018, the company raised £10 million in Series B funding. New investors in this round included LGT Impact Ventures and Belltown Ventures and previous backer Atomico also took part.