The Fruit Basket Direct
The Fruit Basket Direct is a Nottingham-based, family-run fresh produce wholesaler and home delivery retailer founded in 2008, serving restaurants and households across the East Midlands region with free delivery, no minimum order, and a dedicated trade ordering app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNottingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Fruit Basket Direct does
The Fruit Basket Direct is a Nottingham-based, family-run fresh produce wholesaler and home delivery retailer operating in the East Midlands of England since 2008. The company combines three distribution channels: an e-commerce home delivery service covering Arnold, Mapperley, Carlton, West Bridgford, Bingham, Beeston, Nottingham NG1 and surrounding areas with free delivery and no minimum order requirement; a dedicated trade ordering app serving wholesale customers and restaurants; and a physical retail store, The Fruit Basket, at 4 Gordon Road, West Bridgford NG2 5LN. Its core product range covers fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery items and dry store essentials, supplemented by pre-configured set boxes and a wine selection (Champagne and Prosecco) added to the home delivery range in July 2024.
Revenue mechanics are based on direct product sales to both consumer and commercial customers, with transactions processed via Stripe through an online ordering storefront hosted at thefruitbasket.keyfresh-it.com; Stripe does not accept American Express, and a 2% admin fee applies for user errors requiring refunds. Pricing is a transaction-based, pay-as-you-go model with no minimum order. Customer acquisition is supported by a Refer a Friend scheme offering £5 off to both referrer and referee (subject to the friend spending £20 or more) and by a content marketing blog covering seasonal produce, recipes and wine pairings.
The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional ownership. Only one named director is on file in the input (Annabelle Hyman, Director / account director) and the management team array is otherwise empty. Primary B2B customer evidence is limited to a testimonial from Harts Hotel Nottingham in the hospitality segment. The supply chain combines local growers and farmers, national UK markets, and international importers, allowing the business to position around 'restaurant quality' produce for both consumer and commercial kitchens.
The Fruit Basket Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Fruit Basket Direct
- Legal name
- The Fruit Basket Direct
- Website
- https://thefruitbasketdirect.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Fruit Basket Direct is a Nottingham-based, family-run fresh produce wholesaler and home delivery retailer founded in 2008, serving restaurants and households across the East Midlands region with free delivery, no minimum order, and a dedicated trade ordering app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Fruit Basket Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Retail & Wholesale
- NAICS
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230), Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Online Grocery (Full-Basket) (CRAHAIAA), Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG), Wholesale / Club Store Bulk Grocery Delivery (TLAAAHAH)
Keywords
Where The Fruit Basket Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nottingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Fruit Basket Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Sales: Direct product sales of fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery and dry store items to both home delivery customers and wholesale/trade customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | No minimum order - free delivery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Fruit Basket Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Fruit Basket Direct retails and wholesales fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery items and dry store requirements through home delivery, a West Bridgford retail store, and a dedicated trade ordering app across the East Midlands. It sources from local growers, national markets and international importers, and more recently added a handpicked wine selection (Champagne and Prosecco) to its home delivery range.
Product overview
The Fruit Basket Direct operates as a fresh produce wholesaler and home delivery service in the East Midlands. The core offering consists of home delivery of fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, bakery, dry store items) and wholesale/trade supply services. Additional offerings include set boxes (three options available), a handpicked wine selection (Champagne and Prosecco, launched July 2024), and a retail store in West Bridgford. Customers access products through an online ordering platform with free home delivery across the East Midlands region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Home Delivery Service Free home delivery of fresh produce (fruits and vegetables), dairy, eggs, bakery items and dry store requirements across the East Midlands via the online ordering storefront, with no minimum order.
- Wholesale/Trade Supply Wholesale supply of restaurant-quality fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery and dry store items to restaurants, hotels and commercial kitchens in the East Midlands, accessed through a dedicated trade ordering app.
- Set Boxes Pre-configured box selections available through the online shop under the 'Boxes' category, offering three different set box choices for home delivery customers.
- Wine Selection Handpicked wine selection including Champagne and Prosecco available for home delivery, launched as a new addition to the product range in July 2024.
- The Fruit Basket Retail Store Physical retail store in West Bridgford, Nottingham where customers can purchase fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery and dry store items directly, part of the same family-run business as The Fruit Basket Direct.
Companies that use The Fruit Basket Direct
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Fruit Basket Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The Fruit Basket Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Fruit Basket Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brakes Group: Major UK foodservice wholesaler supplying restaurants, pubs, hotels and caterers. Directly comparable customer base (commercial kitchens and hospitality in East Midlands) to The Fruit Basket Direct's B2B trade segment.
- Ocado Retail: Pure-play UK online grocery retailer with comprehensive home delivery. Represents the largest competitive threat to The Fruit Basket Direct's home delivery proposition across the East Midlands, with vastly greater scale and technology investment.
- Dole plc (formerly Total Produce): Global fresh produce grower-distributor with significant UK wholesale operations. Broader incumbent operating at much larger scale across multiple categories and geographies than The Fruit Basket Direct's regional wholesale arm.
- Booker (Booker Wholesale): UK's largest cash-and-carry and wholesale food supplier serving independent retailers, caterers and small businesses. Overlaps with The Fruit Basket Direct's wholesale/trade supply value proposition but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
Direct peers
- Oddbox: UK fresh produce box home delivery service focused on seasonal fruit and vegetables, addressing similar consumer demand for fresh produce convenience and quality.
- Abel & Cole: UK organic and fresh produce home delivery subscription service operating a similar DTC grocery box and delivery model across multiple UK regions. Most directly comparable on the home delivery B2C arm of The Fruit Basket Direct's business.
- Riverford Organic Farmers: UK organic vegetable box and home delivery operator with farm-to-doorstep supply chain. Closely mirrors The Fruit Basket Direct's combination of supply chain sourcing (local growers) and home delivery proposition.
- G's Fresh: One of the UK's largest fresh produce growers and suppliers with both wholesale and consumer-facing operations. Direct comparable on the wholesale/trade fresh produce arm of The Fruit Basket Direct, though at much greater scale.
Emerging players
- Field & Flower: UK-based specialist meat and cheese box delivery service. Adjacent peer operating in a similar artisan/producer-direct home delivery niche but with a different core product focus.
- Parsley Box: UK ambient meal delivery service with a similar direct-to-consumer ordering and home delivery model. Comparable on the DTC convenience and home-delivery infrastructure side rather than product category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Fruit Basket Direct social profiles
Digital presenceThe Fruit Basket Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Fruit Basket Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Fruit Basket Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Fruit Basket Direct 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 The Fruit Basket Direct
What does The Fruit Basket Direct do?
The Fruit Basket Direct retails and wholesales fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery items and dry store requirements through home delivery, a West Bridgford retail store, and a dedicated trade ordering app across the East Midlands. It sources from local growers, national markets and international importers, and more recently added a handpicked wine selection (Champagne and Prosecco) to its home delivery range.
Is The Fruit Basket Direct a public or private company?
The Fruit Basket Direct is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Fruit Basket Direct founded?
The Fruit Basket Direct was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Fruit Basket Direct based?
The Fruit Basket Direct is headquartered in Nottingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Fruit Basket Direct make money?
One revenue line is on record: fresh Produce Sales.
Who are The Fruit Basket Direct's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brakes Group, Ocado Retail, Dole plc (formerly Total Produce) and Booker (Booker Wholesale). Direct peers are Oddbox, Abel & Cole, Riverford Organic Farmers and G's Fresh. Emerging players are Field & Flower and Parsley Box.
Does The Fruit Basket Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Fruit Basket Direct.
What industry is The Fruit Basket Direct in?
The Fruit Basket Direct's product category is Fresh Produce Retail & Wholesale. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIACAA, Fresh Fruit Wholesale, with a secondary code of CRAHAIAA, General Online Grocery (Full-Basket). Its NAICS code is 424480 and its SIC code is 5141.