HIPPO
HIPPO is a UK-wide waste removal and disposal services company serving homeowners, tradespeople, and commercial customers through HIPPOBAG, Man and Van, Skip Hire, and dedicated waste-type services. It operates a bespoke Euro 6 fleet, a partner-based skip network, and ISO-certified, carbon-neutral operations across the United Kingdom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersPortsmouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What HIPPO does
HIPPO (legally Waste Management Systems Ltd., registered in England under company number 4418836) is a UK-wide waste removal and disposal services company headquartered in Portsmouth. Founded in the early 2000s and operating for over 20 years, HIPPO serves homeowners, tradespeople, and commercial customers across the United Kingdom through three core service lines: HIPPOBAG (flexible, flat-packed waste collection bags in multiple sizes collected from the doorstep), Man and Van (full-service waste clearance with heavy lifting), and Skip Hire (skip rental delivered via trusted local partners, with optional permit arrangement). Additional sub-brands and dedicated waste-type services cover trade (HIPPOTRADE), commercial customers, white goods, furniture, office clearance, and moving house rubbish removal.
The underlying operating platform combines an e-commerce booking site (available 24/7), a telephone sales line (0333 999 0 999), email marketing with open/click tracking, and Google AdWords with retargeting. The physical layer consists of a fleet of bespoke HIPPO vehicles fitted with Euro 6 engines and supported by routing software for efficient collection planning, plus a network of trusted local skip-hire partners and a 'Become a Stockist' programme that distributes HIPPOBAGs through third-party retailers. The company is registered with the UK Environment Agency's Register of Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers (CBDU129843) and holds ISO9001 and ISO14001 certifications from UKAS-accredited LRQA Group Limited.
HIPPO's business model is purely transactional and pay-as-you-go across all service lines, with no subscription tier or recurring contract pricing visible in the source data. Revenue is generated from one-time bag sales and collection fees (HIPPOBAG), transaction-based fees for Man and Van clearances, unit-based skip hire fees, and trade/commercial collection charges. Customer acquisition is driven by SEO-optimised service and waste-type pages, a content blog, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), paid search, Trustpilot-driven word of mouth, and a distinctive motorsport sponsorship (HIPPO Suzuki). The company reports diverting over 95% of collected waste from landfill, achieving carbon neutrality in 2023 via an offsetting partnership with Ecologi, and serving over one million customers cumulatively.
HIPPO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HIPPO
- Legal name
- Waste Management Systems Ltd.
- Website
- https://hippowaste.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- HIPPO is a UK-wide waste removal and disposal services company serving homeowners, tradespeople, and commercial customers through HIPPOBAG, Man and Van, Skip Hire, and dedicated waste-type services. It operates a bespoke Euro 6 fleet, a partner-based skip network, and ISO-certified, carbon-neutral operations across the United Kingdom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HIPPO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Removal Services
- NAICS
- Solid Waste Collection (562111)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Junk Removal & Hauling (HSAKALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Junk Removal & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAFAH), Appliance & Scrap Metal Pickup (Residential) (HSAIAOAI), Industrial & Commercial Waste Collection (Roll-off/Front-load) (IMAIAFAB)
Keywords
Where HIPPO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portsmouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
HIPPO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- HIPPOBAG Sales and Collection: Sale and collection of HIPPOBAG waste collection bags. Customers order bags that are delivered flat-packed, fill them with waste, and book collection when ready. Revenue generated from bag sales and collection fees.
- Man and Van Service: Full-service waste removal where HIPPO team visits customer location, loads waste, and disposes of it. Tailored pricing based on exact waste needs. Revenue from service fees.
- Skip Hire: Skip rental through trusted local partners. Customers book skips online 24/7 or by phone, with HIPPO arranging delivery and permit acquisition. Revenue from skip hire fees.
- Trade/Commercial Waste Services: Waste removal services for tradespeople and businesses, including collection from client locations to enable quick job transitions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HIPPOBAG Service - flexible waste collection bag |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Man and Van Service - full-service waste removal |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Skip Hire - range of skip sizes |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
HIPPO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HIPPO is a UK-wide rubbish removal service offering three core products: HIPPOBAG (flat-packed waste bags for fill-and-collect from the doorstep), Man and Van (full-service waste clearance with heavy lifting by HIPPO's team), and Skip Hire (skip rental delivered by trusted local partners). The company also operates HIPPOTRADE for tradespeople collecting waste at client locations and Commercial Waste services for businesses, unified under a single 24/7 online booking platform with nationwide UK coverage.
Product overview
HIPPO is a UK-wide rubbish removal and waste disposal services company offering three core service products: HIPPOBAG (flexible bag collection in multiple sizes delivered flat-packed), Man and Van (full-service heavy lifting and waste clearance by HIPPO's team), and Skip Hire (skip rental with delivery and optional permit handling in three sizes). The company also operates two sub-brands: HIPPOTRADE for trade professionals and Commercial Waste for business customers. Additional services cover specific waste types including white goods, furniture, office clearance, and moving house rubbish removal. The portfolio is unified under a single booking platform with nationwide coverage through a network of local partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HIPPOBAG: A flexible, reliable and ultra-strong bag service for rubbish removal. Available in a range of useful sizes, flat-packed for convenience. Collected from customers' homes when they are ready.
- Man and Van
- Skip Hire
- HIPPOTRADE
Products and services
- HIPPOBAG Flexible, ultra-strong waste collection bags delivered flat-packed in various sizes for fill-and-collect waste disposal from the customer's doorstep, for homeowners, tradespeople, and businesses.
- Man and Van Full-service rubbish removal where HIPPO's team visits the customer's location, performs heavy lifting, loads waste, and cleans up afterward. Pricing is tailored to the exact waste collected.
- Skip Hire Skip rental service with online 24/7 booking, delivery by trusted local partners, and optional permit arrangement for public road placement; available in 6, 8, or 12 cubic yard sizes.
- HIPPOTRADE Trade waste collection service designed for tradespeople, collecting waste directly from client locations to enable quick job transitions.
- Commercial Waste
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 95% of waste diverted from landfill
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use HIPPO
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HIPPO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HIPPO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- EcologicoreEcologi is a carbon offsetting partner that works with HIPPO to achieve carbon neutrality. HIPPO invests in Ecologi projects to offset carbon emissions from their fleet of vehicles and waste disposal operations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HIPPO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Clearabee: UK-based on-demand rubbish removal service offering same-day and scheduled collections directly to consumers and businesses. Closest direct competitor to HIPPO's Man and Van and HIPPOBAG propositions, operating across multiple UK regions with a similar book-online model.
- AnyJunk: UK-wide on-demand junk removal service with national coverage, two-hour collection slots and online booking. Directly comparable to HIPPO's Man and Van service, targeting homeowners and businesses needing fast, no-heavy-lifting clearance.
- Simply Waste Solutions: UK commercial and trade waste collection specialist operating across multiple regions with scheduled services. Comparable to HIPPO's HIPPOTRADE and Commercial Waste offerings, especially for builders, retailers, and small businesses.
- Junkbusters: UK house clearance and junk removal operator offering single-item to full-property clearances. Comparable to HIPPO's residential rubbish removal and furniture disposal lines, typically competing on price and turnaround.
- WasteCare: UK waste management broker and collector arranging collection of household, commercial and construction waste via a partner network. Closely mirrors HIPPO's distribution model — own website, partner hauliers, and licensed carrier status.
- White Knight (House Clearance / Rubbish Removal): UK rubbish removal and house clearance specialist with nationwide coverage and a same-day promise on many bookings. Overlaps directly with HIPPO's doorstep HIPPOBAG collection and Man and Van services across homeowners and businesses.
Broad incumbents
- Biffa: One of the UK's largest waste management companies, providing collections, recycling, and disposal across municipal, commercial, and industrial customers. A broad incumbent whose growing consumer and skip-hire offerings increasingly overlap with HIPPO's core services.
- FCC Environment UK: UK arm of FCC Environment, providing waste collection, treatment, and disposal for municipal and commercial customers. Relevant as a large-scale licensed carrier and operator that overlaps with HIPPO on commercial, trade, and skip hire channels.
- Veolia UK: Major UK environmental services provider offering municipal collections, commercial waste, recycling, and remediation. Competes with HIPPO indirectly through commercial waste contracts and increasingly through consumer-facing skip and clearance propositions.
Others
- Council / Local Authority Waste Services (e.g., local council bulky waste collections): UK councils run free or low-cost bulky waste collections that are the default alternative to HIPPO's paid HIPPOBAG / Man and Van services for many homeowners. They are not commercial peers, but they set the price-and-convenience benchmark HIPPO must beat to win repeat business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HIPPO social profiles
Digital presenceHIPPO compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
HIPPO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HIPPO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
HIPPO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HIPPO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HIPPO
What does HIPPO do?
HIPPO is a UK-wide rubbish removal service offering three core products: HIPPOBAG (flat-packed waste bags for fill-and-collect from the doorstep), Man and Van (full-service waste clearance with heavy lifting by HIPPO's team), and Skip Hire (skip rental delivered by trusted local partners). The company also operates HIPPOTRADE for tradespeople collecting waste at client locations and Commercial Waste services for businesses, unified under a single 24/7 online booking platform with nationwide UK coverage.
Is HIPPO a public or private company?
HIPPO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HIPPO founded?
HIPPO was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is HIPPO based?
HIPPO is headquartered in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does HIPPO make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. HIPPOBAG Sales and Collection is the primary driver. The others are man and Van Service, skip Hire and trade/Commercial Waste Services.
Who are HIPPO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Clearabee, AnyJunk, Simply Waste Solutions, Junkbusters, WasteCare and White Knight (House Clearance / Rubbish Removal). Broad incumbents are Biffa, FCC Environment UK and Veolia UK. Council / Local Authority Waste Services (e.g., local council bulky waste collections) is listed as an others.
Does HIPPO have an API?
No public API is recorded for HIPPO.
What industry is HIPPO in?
HIPPO's product category is Waste Removal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKALAA, Residential Junk Removal & Hauling, with a secondary code of HSAFAFAH, Junk Removal & Disposal Coordination. Its NAICS code is 562111 and its SIC code is 4953.