HISBE – a social enterprise supermarket transforming the food industry
HISBE is a social enterprise supermarket, which is transforming the food industry by challenging the way big supermarkets do business. They are all about making good food more accessible and affordable. As a social enterprise, they make a positive contribution to the local food system and local economy by championing a fair and sustainable food industry, and putting customers, suppliers, and staff first.
HISBE’s vision is to smash Britain’s out of date supermarket business model and reinvent a new kind; an independent chain of supermarkets powered by people, community spirit, and social enterprise.
The business was founded on a core set of values:
- Good food
- Local, seasonal produce
- Animal welfare
- Sustainable food production
- Zero waste
- Valued people
- Ethical business
Despite the challenges of the Covid crisis, HISBE has continued their mission to transform the food industry and have recently announced they will be opening a second store in early 2021. They are also tapping into the shift in the way the public views food, by calling on consumers to go ‘Back to Better’ to help create a better future for food and farming. They have launched a new campaign to engage people in better food and farming, which is focussed on reaching more local people to show them what they do and to encourage them to switch from their regular supermarket to HISBE.
Ruth Anslow, who launched HISBE’s pilot store in Brighton in 2013 with her sister Amy and their friend Jack, expresses gratitude and optimism in the emergence from lockdown:
“It’s been a crazy time since a virus-shaped spanner was thrown into our works… no sooner had we signed a lease on the Worthing premises and raised the money to refit it, everything changed. Our Brighton shop was suddenly in survival mode. But we were committed to staying open, to keep good food flowing, keep our staff in their jobs and protect our suppliers’ livelihoods. We’re grateful that the business has made it through this difficult time and happy to find there’s a sort of new appreciation for good food and independent food businesses.
These are uncertain times, but there is also opportunity. We are delighted to announce we will open our second store, in Worthing, in January 2021. And we’ve launched a new campaign called “back to better” to show more people what we do and invite them to switch from their regular supermarket to ours. After all, why go back to normal, when you can go back to better?”
Watch the below video to find out more about HISBE:
