Food Circle Supermarket Enhances eCommerce Delivery with Whistl Parcels

Over a third of all food produced globally goes to waste. Despite growing awareness and initiatives to tackle the issue, the UK still generates the highest level of food waste in Europe.

Each year, around 9.5 million tonnes of food are thrown away in the UK — even though 8.4 million people are living in food poverty. Billions of pounds’ worth of perfectly edible food is lost annually when it could be redistributed to those who need it most.

Food waste is often framed as an end‑of‑pipe problem, with responsibility falling on consumers. However, retailers and brands contribute significantly too, often due to over‑ordering, fluctuating demand or minor product faults.

That’s where businesses like Food Circle Supermarket are making a meaningful difference.

About Food Circle Supermarket

Based in South Yorkshire, Food Circle Supermarket is an online surplus food and drink retailer focused on the sports nutrition and healthy snacking sectors.

The business purchases surplus, short‑dated, old‑branded and excess stock from some of the best‑known brands in the industry and redistributes it to customers across the UK — helping to reduce food waste while making healthier choices more affordable.

hanks to the surplus nature of their products, Food Circle Supermarket can offer significant discounts against typical high‑street prices, enabling customers to live healthier for less without compromising on quality.

Founded by Surplus Food Experts

Co‑founders Paul Simpson and James Barthorpe previously worked at Company Shop Group, one of the UK’s largest surplus food organisations. Joining as graduates in 2014, they progressed to Business Development Managers, helping to secure major new accounts before launching Food Circle Supermarket in 2017.

Their experience in surplus food laid the foundations for a business built on efficiency, redistribution and value.

Extraordinary Growth

In its first year of trading, the Shopify‑based retailer generated £35k in turnover. By 2021, that figure had grown to £1.7 million.

Today, Food Circle Supermarket operates from a 6,000 sq ft warehouse and office in Dinnington, near Sheffield, employs a team of seven people and ships orders nationwide — just a short distance from Whistl Parcels’ South Yorkshire depot.

A Diverse Product Range

A large proportion of Food Circle Supermarket’s range includes energy and protein bars and other convenient nutrition products, such as protein cookies, brownies, flapjacks, crisps and ready‑to‑drink shakes.

Key suppliers include Fulfil, Clif, Grenade, Barebells, Oatein, Battle Bites, Pro2Go, Mountain Joe’s and UFit. The business also stocks general snacking brands such as Kind, alongside specialist dietary products including Peakz, Loro Crisps (vegan) and KetoKeto (keto‑friendly). Breakfast products such as Fuel10K porridges and granolas complete the range.

Understanding the Customer

James Barthorpe, Co‑Founder of Food Circle Supermarket, says:

“Our customers are everyday people across the UK who live busy, active lifestyles. They like to stock up on protein bars, cereals and shakes at a discount to RRP, helping them stay fuelled for the gym and daily life.”

“Most of our customers fall into the 18–35 demographic, with a fairly even female‑to‑male split. Over the next five years, we’re keen to expand into new markets such as families, offering a broader range of cupboard‑filling essentials — all while helping to tackle food waste.”

Discovering Whistl Parcels

Finding a delivery partner that could scale with the business was a key challenge in Food Circle Supermarket’s early years.

Paul Simpson, Co‑Founder, explains:

“As a new business in 2018, finding a cost‑effective delivery partner was a real challenge. When we started working with Whistl Parcels, our volumes were relatively small — but their pooled‑volume model gave us access to competitive carrier services that would have been difficult to secure directly.”

As the business grew, Whistl Parcels continued to support Food Circle Supermarket with pricing that reflected performance and volume, alongside the infrastructure needed for long‑term growth.

Simplifying Costs and Improving Visibility

“Whistl Parcels has helped us manage delivery costs as we’ve grown by consistently offering competitive rates. Having one invoice across multiple carriers makes life much simpler, and the detailed reporting — reviewed regularly with our account manager — gives us real visibility over costs and service performance.”

Acting as an eCommerce delivery partner, Food Circle Supermarket benefits from:

• Dedicated, proactive account management

• Multi‑carrier flexibility

• Seamless Shopify integration

• Reliable customer support

“Whistl Parcels was very easy to set up. The sales team clearly explained the options available, pricing and systems, and the IT integration allowed us to start shipping quickly.”

Delivering a Great Customer Experience

Food Circle Supermarket currently uses Evri and Yodel as its primary carriers, including:

• Evri standard and next‑day NPOD services

• Yodel Xpress and Xpect 24‑hour services

“Customer service is our number one priority. Proactive support is essential, and that’s where Whistl Parcels is a natural fit. We’re proud of our 5‑star Trustpilot rating and believe our service genuinely goes above and beyond.”

An Evolving Partnership

Whistl Parcels continues to support Food Circle Supermarket with flexible, multi‑carrier delivery options — particularly during peak trading periods.

“The logistics market is constantly changing. Having the flexibility and range of options Whistl Parcels provides will be crucial as we continue to grow and help more people access surplus food.”

Learn more about Food Circle Supermarket

There are plenty of ways to keep up with Food Circle Supermarket:

Visit foodcirclesupermarket.co.uk

Follow them on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok

Listen to the founders’ podcast, Business Life, featuring real‑world business experiences and guest interviews

The business also has strong ties to education, having won the 2018 Hallam Enterprise Award at Sheffield Hallam University. Paul Simpson regularly speaks at university ScaleUp events and delivers seminars for students at Sheffield College and local schools.