Kenilworth greengrocer takes to the road for first time in 26 years to reach customers during coronavirus pandemic

Joe Richards Fruiterer & Greengrocer, based at Talisman Shopping Centre on Warwick Road, has harvested a new free home delivery service within a two-mile radius so locals can still receive essential fresh produce during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Shop manager Lee Goldbey, who has worked at the Kenilworth shop for six years, has said staff are operating around the clock to keep the town stocked up on fresh fruit and veg.

“A lot of our regular customers are elderly and so they are vulnerable to catching Coronavirus, therefore we wanted to ensure we could repay the faith they have shown in us over the years by taking their essentials to them at what is a very unsettling time,” he said.

“Since we began our home delivery service two weeks ago we have been averaging around 500 orders a week. Between the shop and our deliveries, we are an important human contact point for many of our customers who otherwise would not be interacting within anyone else.

“We are seeing our regular customers stocking up with slightly more fruit and veg than they normally would, but I think some of the growth in home delivery orders is also from families who are turning to more home-based cooking to replace the weekly takeaway that they would normally have had.

“I think the impact of Coronavirus has also prompted some folk to eat more healthily, as being stuck indoors for most of the day and exercising less frequently will have made some individuals reassess their diet.

“As our Kenilworth shop has seen a significant rise in sales that has allowed us to implement the free delivery service, and all of our staff are working really hard to ensure that all of the families that either visit or order with us get what they’re after when they want it.

“While our home delivery operation is proving really popular, we are still busy in the shop, especially first thing in the mornings between 7.30am and 11am, so we have implemented the social distancing rule by marking out the floor.

“Nobody knows how long the Coronavirus pandemic is going to last, but we are well-placed to support the community with fresh produce throughout this period of uncertainty.”

Hugo Hawkings, chief executive of Discovery Properties - the developers of Talisman Shopping Centre – applauded the efforts of Joe Richards Fruiterer & Greengrocer.

He added: “Lee and his team epitomise the fantastic community spirit that there is in Kenilworth.

“Talisman Shopping Centre is proof that people like supporting local independent retailers, and it is fantastic to see a business giving something back by branching out into the wider community.

“These are testing times for all and many businesses are having to adapt to serve their customer base in different ways.”