Now we're plant-based too!!

The Micro Greengrocer, a Cardiff city urban vertical farm, has teaming up with Pedal Power in the drive to promote sustainable transport across the city. When owner and grower Amanda Wood decided to expand her business, The Micro Greengrocer, to include restaurant and café deliveries of her superfood microgreens across Cardiff, it offered her an opportunity to think a bit out of the box.

Amanda tells of the journey, “I started off using an up-cycled 1980’s Silver Cross coachbuilt pram to navigate around the city to some of my markets and customers that were in walking distance. My nursery is based in a repurposed shipping container that’s right in the heart of Cardiff, at Meanwhile House on Curran Embankment. The pram was an excellent mode of transport for navigating the city on foot as the construction of coachbuilt prams back when this was manufactured, allowed me to push my produce effortlessly and safely to its destination. I also began to learn the short-cuts and the scenic routes of Cardiff. There are so many green spaces which connect the various areas of this city, it’s a perfect place for urban exploring”.

However, as Amanda’s business grew, deliveries increased and became further afield in the city. Amanda knew she needed to upscale her operations. “My commitment in reducing the carbon footprint of my business meant that purchasing a van wasn’t an option, microgreens are small in size and weight so I knew that I could probably load them onto a bike and get across the city more efficiently and continue to do my bit for the planet.” After noticing an online post selling several bikes, Amanda contacted the seller and although the bike she was interested in had sold, another option was offered.

Unbeknown to Amanda she had contacted Craig, our workshop manager. After recognising Amanda’s business name and remembering her stall from Riverside Farmers market, Craig came up a great idea. Knowing that Amanda had an eye for repurposing vintage transport, he offered an addition to her fleet to complement the sustainable transport her business was employing. Craig and the team dusted off and serviced the 1980’s Pashley tricycle and this began a great partnership to support both ventures. Craig comments “Because this is a bit of a unique bike, it had sat in our workshop for some time waiting for the right opportunity to come along to get it back in service. We are pleased that it will be of great use to Amanda’s fledgling business, and it will be used to cycle across our city”. Amanda comments, “It was an amazing act of kindness, and it came with a great opportunity for Pedal Power too. Craig told me about their community café, so it made perfect sense to return the support of the Pedal Power team by offering the cafe regular complimentary microgreens to add into their vegetarian menu. The café is a wonderful place to relax before or after a bike ride, everyone who works there is so welcoming.” If you miss The Micro Greengrocer cycling around the city, you can catch up with Amanda at Pontcanna and Riverside Farmers Markets every weekend. Why not drop by and see her Plant-Based Pedal Power trike and support her by adding microgreens to your weekly shop or call in the cafe to try some for yourself - delicious! www.themicrogreengrocer.co.uk