Member Article

Plastic Free Supermarket wins £20,000 FedEx Small Business Grant

The Clean Kilo wins FedEx Small Business Grant UK

The Clean Kilo wins £20,000 to support its international growth

London, 28 January, 2019 - FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, has announced the winner of the Small Business Grant UK. The Clean Kilo has been awarded the grand prize of £20,000, and Suzero has received the runner-up prize of £10,000 to expand their reach internationally, connect with new customers and grow their business.

“We are over the moon to have won the FedEx Small Business Grant, 2018,” said Tom Pell and Jeannette Wong, of The Clean Kilo. “The £20,000 grant will enable us to reduce plastic pollution on a far greater level and help open the door for a second plastic free supermarket. The ability to replicate our shop gives us the foundations to help realise our long-term dream. We want to offer our knowledge on environmental issues and plastic-free shopping in the world’s most polluted developing countries. With the FedEx grant we can have a greater impact to turn off the plastic pollution tap.”

A variety of business sectors participated. The Clean Kilo, the largest zero waste supermarket in the UK, was selected as the winner after successfully outlining its plans for international growth. The Clean Kilo was judged against extensive criteria, which included their plans to go global, strategic vision for the company and their ethical standards. The judging panel, Benjamin Edmonds: Last year’s winner and founder of Blok Knives, Blok Knives make handmade kitchen knives, David Prosser, David Prosser is a leading business journalist, with more than 20 years’ experience writing for the majority of national UK newspapers, and Martin Davidian, Martin Davidian is Managing Director Sales Enterprise National at FedEx Express and TNT.

“The FedEx Small Business Grant UK aims to provide small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with the support necessary to achieve their dream of growing worldwide,” said Martin Davidian, Managing Director Sales Enterprise National at FedEx Express and TNT. “The fact that our panel of judges were so impressed by the entrants this year is testament to the ambition and entrepreneurial flair of the UK.
FedEx counts a strong SME customer base in countries around the world, which it supports through tailored business solutions. The Small Business Grant UK is an additional strand of support for the SME community. The contest is in its third year in Europe. This year it has been activated in five markets: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The FedEx Small Business Grant provides an opportunity for small to medium sized businesses to overcome market challenges and focus on international expansion.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by FedEx .