London Markets Direct.com will be an e-commerce retail outlet enabling retail access to fresh produce from the heritage wholesale markets of Smithfield, Billingsgate & New Covent Garden. Tapping into the £8 billion online food and drink market and increased consumer quality and pricing awareness trend they allow the purchase of meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables from one outlet at up to 50% less than supermarket prices with free home delivery.
Supermarkets are the main food retailers with high prices & questionable quality, impacting living costs, quality of life & health and made worse with austerity. M-Line Limited (London Markets Direct.com) will provide e-commerce retail access to the freshest, high quality produce obtained from the heritage wholesale markets of Smithfield, Billingsgate & New Covent Garden, with free home delivery & up to 50% cheaper than supermarkets.
This is an opportunity to invest in what we believe is an innovative and scalable business that is fuelled by austerity and grows stronger with prosperity and takes over 800 years of heritage, 800 years into the future.
The UK food and drink market is worth over £190 billion, with online (e-commerce) sales of over £8 billion. The main supermarket retailers expanded aggressively and control most (over 60%) of the grocery sector. However, this market share has led to increased demand and, in an effort to maintain supply, the main supermarkets utilise questionable methods to store fresh foods beyond their natural time which impacts quality.
For a number of years, consumers’ food quality and pricing awareness has grown and become heightened from the years of austerity since 2007/8 (hence the rise of discount stores such as Aldi and Lidl) and over more consumers are searching for alternatives to the main supermarkets in an effort to find good pricing, quality and convenience. We believe this is a huge gap in a major market.
London Markets Direct.com can fill this gap and reconnect consumers in and around London with heritage wholesale markets which have over 800 years of history. We will obtain our fresh produce exclusively from the heritage wholesale markets, enabling us to provide fresh produce of high quality, freshness & traceability with global variety. Our supply rates from the heritage markets allows us to provide retail costs that are up to 50% less than supermarkets. Our e-commerce access & free delivery provides convenience with an upscale experience. We will be the first company of this type, giving us significant first mover advantage.
Most of the ‘hard yards’ have been covered – the Directors having worked hard since 2012 undertaking due diligence, sourcing suppliers and negotiating with the markets, carrying out detailed logistics & operations planning. We have designed a Retail & Logistics Operations that significantly minimises risk, costs, environmental impact & waste and maximises quality, efficiency & profits. We have also designed a website that is simple, stylish & high end and a significant marketing programme to target a majority of the households in and around London. Regional e-commerce portals will then rolled out to major cities across the UK & Scotland using London’s sister wholesale markets across the country to work with and alongside London Markets Direct.
Managing Director – Paul Bheemul
The founder and creator of this business with significant experience in Legal, Business Management & Development and Finance with the likes of Child & Child and Eversheds LLP.
Director – Financial – Jill May
The inspiration of this business with experience in Banking and Finance with a major high street bank, AY Bank, The Heart Hospital and the Reform Club.
Using their knowledge & experience, the Directors aim to bring together the best people suited to create a Management Team who will bring with them with a wealth of experience with blue chip multi-national companies, sovereign alliance organisations, major corporations and businesses. They should be brought on board for a negligible stipend, with their companies supplying services once funding has been achieved, in the following roles:-
Retail Operations Team – Rick Ballard – The Logistics Business
Produce Supply Team – Stephen Barber (Smithfield) – JF Edwards Ltd
A Oliver & I Fraser (Billingsgate) – RAO LtdA Thorogood (NCG & NS – Vegetables) – S Thorogood & Sons LtdE Barrett (NCG – Fruit) – HG Walker Ltd
IT Strategy Team – Rebecca Jones – Object Source
E-Commerce & SEO Team – D Spraggon, M Dufour, R Gosling – Popcorn Design
Communications, Marketing & PR Team – Fiona Faulkner
Media Production Team – David Flavell – Pagaea TV
Transport Team – L Pedersen, T Tobun & D Duff – Gate Ventures & DHD Transport
Given the impact we believe this business will have, it would be unwise for the Directors to speculate on the most valuable exit strategy & exit values. However, consideration has been given to various likely scenarios which include sale to a competitor or IPO. However, the Directors aim for legal & financial advice will be taken during the course of Year 3 in this respect and aim to provide all shareholders with a detailed summary of options and valuations. In any event, first refusal must be given to the Directors to repurchase the investors’ shareholding at the market value (MBO).
Invest between £500 and £2,499 and you will obtain exclusive ‘Founder Member’ (‘E’ list) status that will entitle them to priority offers & “freebies” and £10 of their first 10 shops with London Markets Direct.
Invest between £2,500 and £4,999 and you will be in the ‘Founder Member’ (‘D’ list) – In addition to the ‘Founder Member’ (‘E’ List) benefits, you will also receive another £5 off each of your next 5 shops with London Markets Direct.
Invest between £5,000 and £9,999 and you will be in the ‘Founder Member’ (‘C’ list) which provides 2 free shops with us per year for the lifetime of your shareholding. (Each free shop is based upon your average weekly spend calculated over the 23 weeks preceding the 24th of June and 28th of November each year and commences from the 1st of January of each year. The value of the average amount spent will be credited to your shopping account with us for you to use or ‘bank’ for use at a later date. All free shops must be used prior to the 31st of December each year.)
Invest £10,000+ and you will be in the exclusive ‘Founder Member’ (‘B’ list) which provides 3 free shops with us per year for the lifetime of your shareholding. (Each free shop is based upon your average weekly spend calculated over the 15 weeks preceding the 17th of April, the 7th of August and the 28th of November each year and commences from the 1st of January each year. The value of the average amount spent will be credited to your shopping account with us for you to use or ‘bank’ for use at a later date. All free shops must be used prior to the 31st of December each year.)