Newtown Greengrocer adopts ebike delivery

A thriving local retailer, the greengrocers’ steady stream of customers makes it clear they’re onto a winning formula. But being busy now hasn’t stopped them from looking ahead to new possibilities. 

Owner Gurjant Singh says he made the decision to offer online orders and ebike deliveries to prepare for  the future as Wellington City Council rolls out the citywide, connected bike network which will soon pass by his shop’s front door. This new route will link Newtown Greengrocers and other nearby shops all the way to the city and waterfront in one direction, and Island Bay and the south coast in the other.   

“To start off, we’re delivering by ebike within a three-kilometre radius, and will look to extend that over the coming months,” Gurjant says.  

A three-kilometre radius covers a surprising number of suburbs. It means customers as far afield as Brooklyn, Hataitai, Rongotai, Lyall Bay and the CBD can have their greens delivered … greenly.  

This is great news for the environment. In New Zealand, 43 percent of car trips are less than five kilometres long.  And because cold engines consume 40 percent more fuel, reducing short car trips has significant power to cut both congestion and climate harming emissions.  

However, the grocers aren’t cycling out the shop door themselves. Instead they’re partnering with established bicycle courier company, Nocar Cargo.  

By joining forces, Newtown Greengrocer doesn’t need to ‘reinvent the wheel’. Instead, Nocar Cargo provides the delivery expertise, while Newtown Greengrocer remain focused on their core business of keeping locals supplied with fresh fruit and veges.

Gurjant says that the initial trial is doing well.

“Our existing customers love the service, and we expect interest to increase as we publicise it more.”

Learn more about the Wellington bike network plan on our website.