The city app allowing Sheffield’s corner shops to take on big supermarkets

City-based start-up 3miles experienced a 10-fold increase in turnover in the early weeks of the pandemic as it became virtually impossible to get a delivery slot from leading retailers.

The platform allows independent traders the ability to sell all their products online – something they’d largely been unable to do because of the time, money and training required to set up and run an e-commerce business.

The situation allowed the fledgling company to gain a foothold in the multi-billion pound grocery delivery market and prove the combined power of independents can take on corporate firms if they are provided with the right tools and expertise.

Founder Mazen Musaed, who came up with the concept in 2019 during his last year at university in Sheffield, said: “We’re allowing traditional grocers with zero technical knowledge to have a high profile, online sales and door-to-door delivery service.

“We do everything for them.

“We know the small margins that are made on food and we’ve come up with a business model that works for everyone.

“Many of these traders have had a massive boost in profits as they can sell so much more.”

The site now boasts more than 5,000 product lines – far more than many supermarkets – and the app has been downloaded over 2,000 times.

Mazen added: “The Covid situation proved the limitations of the big corporate supermarkets as it became impossible to get a delivery slot when it was most needed.

“But this event provided a once in a lifetime chance to level the playing field for independent grocers – we were doing over 500 deliveries a week.”

Everyone from Sheffield’s largest independent supermarket – Ozmans – to a growing number of independent businesses based at Sheffield Markets are now offering door-to-door deliveries via 3miles.

Visit www.3miles.co.uk for further information, or to download the 3Miles app.