Funding the project,
how you can help
We are raising capital to open Leicester's first worker-owned wholefood grocery. Here is the financial outline and how you can help.
Where the funding comes from.
£100,000
Cooperative lending on value-aligned terms, targeted repayment over 5-7 years.
£100,000
Unsecured loan stock issued to members and supporters, offering options for 2-3% interest rates.
£5,000
Pledged donations from supporters to fund initial development, community outreach, and startup costs.
Initial Startup Costs.
Opening our shop requires a one-off capital investment. We are keeping setup costs low by focusing on essential fit-out works. Any surplus capital raised will build our cash reserve to support early-stage cashflow.
Minimum to open
£150,000
Social loan and loan stock required to open the doors.
Full raise target
£225,000
Includes a stronger cash buffer and additional working capital for resilience.
Operating Forecast & Viability.
| Forecast Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Revenue | £767,260 | £927,281 | £1,085,478 |
| Gross Profit | £229,367 | £287,659 | £347,998 |
| Operating Costs | £246,416 | £295,684 | £324,125 |
| Net Profit / (Loss) | −£17,049 | −£8,025 | £23,873 |
| Year-End Cash | £40,919 | £32,894 | £31,767 |
Our operating model is designed to reach break-even quickly. We are keeping fixed overheads minimal, sharing tasks among our worker-members, and building a reliable community customer base. Below is our baseline operating forecast for the first three years of trading.
Why people are funding SPRoUT.
"I've found myself in a situation where I've got some spare money to invest. I'd much rather it was helping out a worthwhile project, than it was just sitting in a building society. I'm a fan of co-operative ownership and I think that there should be more of it. And I can see that there's a gap in the market in Leicester for a project like Sprout. The more working capital they've got in ethical loan stock, the easier it's going to be for them to get to break-even. I appreciate that not everyone who wants to support Sprout has spare money, but for those who have, I think it's a great ethical, local, place to keep it."
Help us build a grocery owned by its workers.
We are actively seeking values-aligned partners who can provide ethical loans, purchase loan stock, or pledge donations to get Sprout off the ground.
If you'd like to discuss investment options or receive our full business plan, please get in touch.
Stay in touch
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