Having already hit £58,000 in its current raise on Crowdfunder, ethical supermarket HISBE is striving to reach £75,000 within the next four days to unlock another £25,000 in match-funding.
First launched in Brighton in 2014, followed by a Worthing branch in 2021, HISBE was founded to offer ethical alternatives ‘to Tesco’s and the like’ and in December it hopes to celebrate ten years of fighting for a sustainable future for food and farming, but it hasn’t been an easy ride.
“These last three years have been tough, on all of us. HISBE has been in survival mode – and we are so grateful to all our customers and supporters for sticking with us,” co-founder of the social enterprise, Ruth Anslow says. “HISBE simply wouldn’t still be here without you.”
She adds: “Running any small business at the moment is extra challenging, with rising costs and customers watching their pennies. But it’s even more of a balancing act for HISBE, as a social enterprise. It costs us extra to follow our values and do the right thing, whilst still keeping prices affordable for our shoppers.
we are so grateful to all our customers and supporters for sticking with us
“Thankfully we are now seeing the shoots of recovery in both stores, but we also need to raise funding to keep going and return HISBE to expansion-readiness. Our goal is to build a network of stores in Sussex – and we’re in talks with Lewes Council about bringing HISBE store number three to Lewes High Street in 2024.”
The social enterprise is offering some exclusive rewards to contributors, including discount cards, birthday boxes, breadmaking workshops and farm visits.
Every pledge is being matched by two other funders and Aviva has teamed up with Crowdfunder to support HISBE’s work through its Community Fund. And HISBE reaches each £25k milestone, the Be The Earth Foundation will put in £25,000 to match its efforts.
To find out more help with funding, visit HISBE’s Crowdfunding page here.
