Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR, is a weekly business feature which highlights some great businesses. Here, we introduce Milnsbridge-based milk and grocery delivery business Float.

Marketing experts Jim Woodhead and Warren Slingsby turned entrepreneur during the pandemic and are now milkmen – with a twist.

The duo – who describe themselves as “two lazy blokes who hate going to the supermarket” – launched milk delivery business Float last October.

Now, 12 months on, Milnsbridge-based Float hasn’t just been treading water. In fact business is booming.

The company has seen its sales grow 50% month-on-month and is predicting similar growth in the coming year.

Float supplies the Just Milk brand and delivers lactose-free and long-life milk to people’s doors. Other products have also been added – coffee, tea, biscuits and cereals – and more could follow.

Float customers can buy milk or other groceries on a one-off or regular subscription basis. Subscriptions are growing at the same rate as sales.

Jim, 46, and Warren, 52, collaborate as digital marketing consultants but last year Warren saw an opportunity when he noticed a shortage of lactose-free milk on supermarket shelves.

“Sometimes you just stumble across things,” said Jim. “We saw that customers were having access problems and it was just at the time this brand was being taken out of supermarkets despite being really popular.

“We asked ourselves if we could fill that gap and the answer was ‘yes.’ From there Warren came up with a name, an identity and a brand and within three months we were live.”

Jim and Warren with some of their products

By the end of November the duo were convinced they were onto a winner and sales grew from there.

The company has a fulfilment partner which deals with the orders and deliveries and it has customers as far afield as Aberdeen and Cornwall.

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“It’s been a brilliant year,” said Jim. “It’s not just Float’s growth but also the customer feedback and responses we’ve received. We’re excited to roll out the next step in the Float journey.”

That next step is evolving the product line and that could be something other than food.

“This is not a side hustle, it’s a business we are committed to,” said Jim. “We are looking for opportunities all the time and we are just enjoying the ride.”

For more go to https://float.delivery