Meet Zedify: Manchester’s newest cargo bike couriers
Founded in 2018, Zedify’s mission was to bring about real change to the UK’s cities by reducing traffic congestion and drastically rethinking the ways that urban deliveries are made. Now, Zedify have a fleet of cargo bikes and delivery drivers dotted around the country, including right here in Manchester!
We caught up with Dan and Rebecca from Zedify about how the organisation got going, how they’re finding life in Manchester and the big differences they’re hoping to make…
What is Zedify, and how did it get started?
Zedify is transforming urban deliveries by pioneering and normalising the use of hyperlocal microhubs and zero emission vehicles for deliveries in cities across the UK. We're currently based in 10 locations - ranging from Edinburgh to Plymouth - making us the largest cargo bike delivery provider across the UK. Zedify is continuing to grow at pace, with two new hubs opening by summer 2023.
Zedify's founders, Rob King and Sam Keam, realised that traditional diesel van deliveries in cities simply weren't working. Diesel vans are slow in congested areas (not to mention their contribution to this congestion), are noisy and foul-smelling, and release toxic gases and particulates as they move through the city. All of this is harmful to urban areas and their inhabitants. Sam and Rob combined their passion for cycling and backgrounds in sustainable initiatives, and set out to change things for the better.
We're passionate about treating our riders right, and we recognise that this starts with proper remuneration. Every single rider is paid a Real Living Wage (no gig economy here) and has the appropriate employee benefits and protections that, we believe, all couriers should have. Put simply, riders that are cared for and appreciated are those that deliver a brilliant service to end-consumers.
We have a USP in our fleet, too. 95%+ of all deliveries are completed using cargo bikes. Zedify's competitors use a mix of electric cars and vans to deliver their parcels, which have an even higher embedded carbon than diesel vans, and are highly inefficient when it comes to getting around congested cities.
Zedify's approach takes the entire city into account, and this can be seen through the kinds of work that we carry out. Through partnering with micro-mobility companies like Voi, Beryl and TIER, Zedify is able to support a greener city for the individual as well as for direct clients.
What makes Zedify different? We put people and the planet first.
Who do you work with in Manchester?
The Manchester hub has allowed us to roll out our national clients in the North West, such as Grubby and ZARA.
'Zedify serves a diverse range of clients in Manchester, catering to both small and national businesses alike. Among our incredible small business partners, we have established a strong partnership with Applique Apparel, Open Kitchen, Nells Pizza, and Ad Hoc Wine Shop to name a few. Through our efficient and eco-friendly delivery services, we are helping these small businesses expand their reach and connect with a broader customer base in the bustling city of Manchester.
Additionally, we are privileged to collaborate with prominent national business clients such as Freddies Flowers, Grubby Vegan Meal Prep Boxes and Zara, assisting them in delivering their products promptly and reliably to their customers in Manchester. Zedify remains dedicated to empowering businesses of all sizes and ensuring their products reach more customers than ever before.'
What’s the impact of typical deliveries that don’t come by bike?
Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, with up to 36,000 deaths a year attributed to long-term exposure. Many in the logistics sector struggle with insecure work, low pay, and poor conditions. To cap it all off, customers often end up frustrated with poor service from inefficient and overstretched operations.
278 tonnes of CO2 were directly prevented by Zedify's delivery service in 2022. To put this into perspective, one tonne of CO2 looks like:
1 petrol car driving over half a year (6200 miles)
Amsterdam to Paris by train x72 times
2.6 economy flights from Amsterdam to Rome
Many logistics companies' carbon neutral claims are based on offsetting their emissions rather than reducing emissions from their own operations. With the transport sector accounting for the biggest chunk of the UK's carbon footprint and 32% of that arising from HGVs and vans, we've simply got to get a handle on real emissions reductions.
If you had one tip for someone looking to get involved in climate action, what would it be?
Seek out local micromobility providers in your area, and swap car journeys for trips on bikes (like the yellow Beryl bee bikes) or scooters (like lime scooters in Salford). These are fantastic for people who can't commit to investing in a bike or scooter of their own, and far cheaper than owning, fueling, insuring and taxing a car. Not only are these genuinely fun ways to travel, they're also the key to removing harmful car fumes from our urban areas and making the streets safer places for all of us.
For those of us in more rural areas, carpooling with friends or colleagues is a fantastic way to improve air quality and make boring journeys more interesting. Even more rural cities and towns really struggle with carbon and nitrogren oxides in their centres - it's not just huge cities like London!
To learn more about Zedify, check out their website here https://www.zedify.co.uk/
