SPUD.ca launching the first fresh food digital marketplace in Canada with consolidated delivery for local and independent food brands looking to sell online

VANCOUVER, Feb. 4, 2019 /CNW/ - Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery Inc. (SPUD) is pleased to announce the launch of Be Fresh Marketplace, a fresh digital platform for local artisans, small shops and independent grocers to sell online with consolidated delivery. The effort comes as small local food brands struggle to move past geographic constraints and high rents to find a sustainable e-commerce solution that meets their needs.  SPUD is utilizing its industry-leading technology in grocery e-commerce, warehousing and home delivery to increase the accessibility of e-commerce for local food companies.

"Small food businesses are an important part of our company and the vitality of the cities we live in. It is really hard for these amazing fresh food companies to create an online shopping experience on their own," said Peter van Stolk, CEO at SPUD.ca. "We are committed to local and working with these businesses to adapt to the digital age."

Several local shops in Calgary have already benefited from the Be Fresh Marketplace during the company's pilot test last month. Empire Provisions, an artisanal butchery and charcuterie, has experienced significant growth in its online business since joining the Be Fresh Marketplace community. "We are very happy with how this has been progressing," said Karen Kho, Owner and Operator of Empire Provisions. "We've tried a number of other food delivery platforms but none of them compare to the quality of service we've experienced with Be Fresh Marketplace."

Be Fresh Marketplace leverages SPUD.ca's high-traffic e-commerce website to offer other local sellers a fast way to create an online store and start selling their products. The marketplace will utilize the sustainable fulfillment technology of SPUD's food delivery platform, Food-X Urban Delivery, to consolidate orders and deliver to customers.

Be Fresh Marketplace has launched in Vancouver and Calgary and is expected to rapidly grow in 2019 to support more than 500 local companies and thousands of specialty items by the end of the calendar year. Local food shops, independent grocers and artisanal brands can inquire online or by contacting SPUD.ca directly.

About Food-X Urban Delivery Inc.
Food-X Urban Delivery Inc. is a food delivery platform that allows multiple third-party retailers to access industry-leading technology, warehousing, food preparation and delivery services. Food-X is able to fulfill online orders for all of its customers through purpose-built distribution centers and proprietary route optimized last mile delivery services. By consolidating orders from all of its partners, it is able to decrease costs of online fulfillment and reduce environmental impact. Food-X's first location opened in Burnaby, B.C. in 2018 and it plans to open locations across Canada through 2019 and beyond. Food-X is part of the SPUD integrated food business eco-system that includes online retail, community retail locations, commissary/food preparation services and distribution. For more information, visit www.foodx.ca.

About Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery Inc.
Founded in 1997 in Vancouver, Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery Inc. has expanded into one of the largest online grocery companies in Canada, employing over 700 people across all its markets delivering fresh, local, organic produce and groceries. With a mission of changing the world one bite at a time and a passion for a sustainable food system, SPUD's goal is to use its connection to local and organic food to help improve the places where we live and work. From this vision, Be Fresh Local Market was proudly cultivated by SPUD, with the first store opening in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighborhood in 2015. Be Fresh currently serves six local communities in Vancouver. In 2017, Blush Lane Organic Market joined the SPUD family supporting Edmonton and Calgary across five locations. SPUD is a leader in Western Canada's local and organic food movement. For more information, visit www.spud.ca.

SOURCE Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery Ltd. (SPUD)