Ocado is setting a precedent with its new initiative to support female entrepreneurs through a dedicated online platform.
- The campaign, named ‘Buy Women Built,’ features over 1,000 products from female-founded brands.
- Sahar Hashemi, Founder of Coffee Republic, spearheads the movement to bolster sales for women-led businesses.
- Ocado’s move seeks to address the lag in female entrepreneurship in the UK compared to other developed nations.
- The initiative aims to empower future generations by showcasing the strength of female-driven businesses.
Ocado is making waves in the ecommerce sector with the launch of its ‘Buy Women Built’ campaign, a strategic endeavor aimed at promoting products made by women. This ambitious initiative introduces an online section dedicated to goods from female entrepreneurs, highlighting more than 1,000 products. The campaign extends across Ocado’s app, website, and an ‘Inspire Me’ tab, commencing tomorrow, in a bid to increase visibility and sales for women-led businesses.
Spearheading this campaign is Sahar Hashemi, the enterprising founder of Coffee Republic, who recognized the potential impact of such a platform. Her vision convinced Ocado to create this initiative, highlighting not just established brands like Little Moons ice cream and Pip & Nut peanut butter, but also emerging start-ups like All Dressed Up sauces. The initiative is not merely a commercial endeavor, but a statement of support for female entrepreneurship, providing a platform for brands that are just entering the online supermarket arena.
Hannah Gibson, Ocado Retail’s chief executive, commented to The Sunday Times on the unfortunate scarcity of female entrepreneurs, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting this important part of the business community. Meanwhile, Sahar Hashemi stressed that the campaign’s purpose is ‘not patronizing — it’s signposting.’ She noted that the UK’s rate of female entrepreneurship lags 30% behind that of other developed countries, citing confidence issues as a significant barrier for women.
Hashemi expressed optimism about the broader implications of this campaign, stating, “Showing people that so many brands are in fact created by women leads more female entrepreneurs to think, ‘We can do this.’ It’s a way to make future generations see the power of women.” This strategic move follows a recent campaign encouraging consumers to ‘Buy British,’ as supermarkets, including Ocado, have started to highlight British-grown food. Such campaigns are a testament to Ocado’s role in driving significant cultural and economic change as a leading retailer.
The ‘Buy Women Built’ campaign marks a significant step towards empowering female entrepreneurs and enhancing their visibility in the marketplace.
