Meet the founder of Independence Market challenging the grocery industry

Squeezing in the tedious but essential task of food shopping can be a chore these days. Our lives are becoming increasingly more stressful and, although it may sound far fetched, a little chaotic at times, don’t you think?

So when you have that spare hour in your day to do the weekly shop, we would bet the last thing you want to do is think about what to have for your dinner, too - sometimes you just want it literally handed to you on a plate. This is where Independent Market comes in.

Londoners, have you heard about it? If not, you might want to try it out next time you’re really not in the mood for an emergency food dash. The company’s founder, Robert Hocking, who is 50 and resides in Kensal Rise, moved to London 10 years ago - he’s originally from Canada.

Robert set up Independence Market after spending 27 years working in brand and retail strategy, coming to believe that the average business in the grocery industry “sucks”.

He commented: “There was a real opportunity to fix the model ​in a way that really works for consumers. So I convinced my wife that we should pack in our cushy, high-income lifestyle and instead work 16 hours a day, seven days a week ​making Independence Market a reality.​”

It’s just as well Robert’s decision has been paying off, right? Originally setting up business in Putney, Independence Market soon became known in the area, but the company has stuck to a small section of London for now as, Robert believes, a “big failing with companies being too broadly spread messes with distribution costs”.

Being precise on where he is delivering his products and researching his target audience is what Robert has strived for since humble beginnings.

Raising some investment as well as word of mouth became a great source of marketing: “We knew that if we could serve people well - by solving a problem - they’d tell others. We started nine months ago with 30 families and now have 750 registered. That’s about 3,500 hungry mouths!”

So how did Robert get that figure in such a short space of time? He said it’s all about knowing your customer inside and out: “People’s lives have changed radically in the last 20 years and most businesses haven’t kept pace.

“Simply being online or having technology is not keeping pace. What I’m referring to is understanding how we live our lives and creating a service that reflects our needs.”

According to Robert, the average household buys less than one per cent of food a typical supermarket offers, but a family could put down two meals on the table every night meaning a dish’s novelty will eventually wear thin.

“People plan less, shop more often… Even though they’ve got less time than they ever have! So we looked at all that and said: ‘Huh? Grocery stores don’t work the way they should’, and looked to create a business that makes dinner time more convenient, healthier and definitely tastier!”

So, Independence Market is said to have the food and the taste bang on, but what about the price… And where does it actually deliver? Is it environmentally friendly? So. Many. Questions.

Luckily, Robert gave us the lowdown on how the business model works. In terms of expenditure for the average customer, he said there is “absolutely no point in creating a high-priced fine-dining experience because that’s not how people live their lives.”

So he set about finding out how much people are spending now, and realised that people want “food that’s interesting within reason, to taste good without having the bad stuff [and] to pay fairly for it.”

He looks at ingredients for every meal and works out how he could make the cost cheaper and more economical for customers. And in terms of packaging, Independence Market uses recycled paper bags, wooden, oven-safe packaging and keeps plastic “to an absolute minimum”.

Like Deliveroo or Just Eat, the business works with a delivery partner that uses scooters to get round London. And the company is looking to expand into the capital’s 20 postal zones very soon - so far, they deliver to the likes of Wimbledon and Robert’s area of Kensal Rise.

From January 8 2018, Independence Market will be launching an ‘Indy @ Work’ offer - with four more sites to follow in the meantime - meaning those who work in companies will be offered dinner without having to visit their local supermarket. They can just order from the comfort of work - or home, if they prefer of course.

So, order your food from Independence Market by 1pm and it can be delivered to your address that very same day. It really is that simple. And if you’re ordering on the weekend, you’ll be pleased to know the business will soon be distributing a “new, disruptive way to sell wine and spirits”. Go on then.

We think this is something Londoners could definitely get on board with, especially with the array of dishes available. If you’re wondering what the founder’s favourite is, he 100 per cent recommends the fish pie: “I want to be buried in one so I can have it with me in case there’s an afterlife!”

Yep, you heard it here first. Check out Independence Market now - it could save you a hell of a lot of time and stress, right?

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