The doorbell at the door went over or was put in the mailbox: more than 2000 deliveries have been made by the starting Earlybird from Zurich since the beginning of the year. The local food delivery service focuses on healthy and regional food. With their electric vehicles, the three former students of business administration Tim Schmid, Thomas Bösch and Mischa Aeppli have traveled 6,000 kilometers in the city of Zurich. What was initially only offered in district 4 and 5 extended to the entire urban area in the spring of this year.
As so often in the beginning, it has also used something on Earlybird. This is because the three thought they knew the needs of the customer without ever having delivered a menu: "We offered day sets that could not be assembled randomly," says Bösch. After only three months, the offer was flown out of the assortment again.
After the trial-and-error principle, the three young entrepreneurs gradually developed their offerings and brought food suppliers on board. In addition to the self-produced juices, muesli and lunch dishes, the Vuaillat bakery supplies sandwiches, bread and croissants. Fresh products such as fruit and vegetables come from a retailer on the wholesale market in Zurich. There they have their head office and their kitchen themselves. The desserts are made by confectioner Corina Davatz from "Pan de Miel". "By being close to our fruit and vegetable suppliers, we can guarantee freshness", says Bösch.
Stay in Zurich
Not only fresh, but also varied and seasonal is an important issue for young entrepreneurs. In addition, they provide their customers with electric vehicles. Because they only cook, which is ordered until 18:00, the food waste in Earlybird's kitchen is almost zero.
The food is delivered the next day between six and ten o'clock in the morning. What is on the menu, which otherwise changes weekly, is cooked and eaten in advance. "For menu ideas, we bring in a chef who can help us with the necessary expertise," says Bösch. Then it's time to try it out.
Earlybird offers weekly vegan, vegetarian, meat and poultry dishes. Therefore, the three do not know exactly which of the dishes belongs to the favorite meal of their customers. "The vegi sushi can already be described as one of our classics, and there are customers who only order from us if it is on the menu," says Bösch.
Between 15 and 17 francs
The lunch dishes cost between 15 and 17 francs, including delivery. "We offer good and healthy food for a fair price," says Bösch. This explains the former student business administration also the big question. "With varied, healthy food delivered to the workplace, we have discovered untapped potential in the Zurich region," says the marketing and communications officer of the startup. Therefore, the team of three men will not expand geographically for the time being. "The city is big enough for us," says Bösch. With the catering and fruit boxes for companies, you have a wide range of products besides the delivery service.
That is why the young entrepreneurs have taken on one or two temporary workers every day to help in the kitchen and in the delivery. The three founders of the company are also in the kitchen every day. Schmid is responsible for purchasing, production and product development, IT and personnel and Aeppli for logistics, packaging and accounting.
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