Published: June 4, 2020 | Updated: 5th June 2020
A new online grocery store delivering restaurant quality produce, meat, fish and grocery products sourced from independent local businesses to addresses in the BH area is officially launched today.
Dorset2Door is the brainchild of two of the conurbation’s best-known hospitality entrepreneurs, Simon Brooks and Ben Reynolds.
The home delivery service was soft launched through their personal social media on May 17 to prove the concept.
Such was the response that the first orders were being delivered the following day.
To date, more than 160 orders have been successfully processed with the customer feedback described as “incredible.”
Orders are made through an easy to use website – dorset2door.co.uk.
High-quality products, which are sourced from in and around Dorset, are delivered directly to the door of its customers, in one convenient contactless delivery.
Simon said he and Ben had come up with the idea for Dorset2Door independently of each other and started talking about it on a WhatsApp group.
He said: “We’ve worked together in the past on many projects but, very spookily, both said how good it would be to have such a service. We’ve created something that we will use ourselves every week.
“I use many independent businesses, such as butchers, greengrocers and bakers, across my businesses and they’re the backbone of the economy.
“Together, Ben and I got everything together for Dorset2Door and soft launched it on our personal social media pages on Sunday May 17. The response was amazing.
“We had the first orders being delivered at 12 o’clock the following day, Monday.
“The reaction has been incredible and we are only a few weeks in. We’ve been concentrating on getting the products and logistics right first, but now we are ready to push forward.
“Dorset2Door is all about the quality. The produce and products are from quality suppliers, and nothing like your supermarket style goods.
“Some of our suppliers have online ordering but no-one has brought them together into one service.
“We’ve identified a clear gap in the market for a local, fresh and quality delivery service working with independent suppliers.”
Ben said the produce comes from Dorset farms, Poole fishermen, Dorset bakers, Bournemouth coffee producers and a whole host of other top-quality local suppliers.
Food is sourced on the day and then delivered fresh to customer’s doors.
He added: “These suppliers traditionally provide to some of Dorset’s and London’s top restaurants.
“We thought it would be a great idea to share these high-quality foods.
“It’s already proved incredibly popular within the BH conurbation.
“We’re now looking at extending the product range and have extended deliveries across all BH postcodes.
“Every order supports local, independent family businesses who share a passion for high quality foods sourced in and around Dorset.
“People’s habits are changing, they realise the value in fresh, good quality produce to cook at home.”
Local suppliers currently include Oxford’s bakery, Neals and Son Butchers, Faast Fruit, Bad Hand Coffee, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, the Book and Bucket cheese company and Woods Fish.
Dorset2Door also offers fish, meat, salad, fruit, vegetable and BBQ boxes starting from £20 as well as a Gossip pizza box at £16.
Simon is Founder of Seventa Events and Innovative Hire.
He also owns Bournemouth Christmas Market and is Co-owner of Abbots Court Retreat & Wedding venue in Winterborne Kingston.
Ben’s business interests include Lost Paradise, Boogie on the Beach event, GOLD Festival and Swallow Barn.
Upon lockdown, Simon and Ben’s businesses hit the pause button but both said they couldn’t just sit on their hands.
Dorset2Door’s deliveries are currently being made by Simon’s Innovative Hire vehicle fleet but the plan is for the service to have its own branded vans out on the road in the near future.
Simon said: “We have hospitality experience, skilled teams, brilliant suppliers and the customer feedback has been amazing.
“As we expand our product range but keep to the same ethos of quality, local produce, I can see Dorset2Door delivering daily across all BH postcodes and, maybe, even further afield.”
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How it works
It’s as easy as ABC:
A – Go on the website dorset2door.co.uk, select your favourite produce and place an order.
B – The order is facilitated into one box with food sourced on the day of delivery.
C – Delivery is currently to all BH Postcodes. Delivery Days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 12pm and 7pm.
There is a £30 minimum order.