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Bikes are a fun, healthy and environmentally-friendly way to get around, but they are also a great tool for business. Get acquainted with these five pedaling entrepreneurs who are using two or sometimes three wheels to create successful livelihoods.
1. WHEELY'S CAFE
WHAT: A full service café enclosed in a bicycle.
IN DETAIL: Dubbed as the world's smallest and cheapest café, Wheely's is the brainchild of a Scandinavian product development crew looking to offer young people the chance to own and run their very own sustainable coffee shop as part of a friendly global franchise. The mobile cafés use a combination of solar and pedal power, which means their eco-friendly way of doing business leaves a neutral carbon footprint.
2. PETAL BY PEDAL
WHAT: A florist that delivers locally sourced flowers around New York City by bicycle.
IN DETAIL: Petal by Pedal sources its blooms all the way from urban growers in Brooklyn to farmers in Long Island, reducing their environmental impact by solely supporting local industries. The result is customers receiving fresh, longer lasting bouquets that are free from chemical pesticides which are regularly used in imported flowers.
3. LILLY'S LUNCHES
WHAT: A small catering company that gets around town on 2 wheels.
IN DETAIL: Lifelong cyclist and longtime food lover, Elizabeth Callahan creates delectable homemade meals as part of her one-woman and one-bike operation. Whether it's delivering perfect picnics, supplying event catering or cooking for dinner parties, Elizabeth pedals her way around Toronto hand-delivering her tasty treats on a custom-made bike complete with large wooden storage box.
4. VELOPRESSO
WHAT: A mobile coffee machine that uses pedal power to both move and grind beans.
IN DETAIL: From espresso to lattes, the motor-less and silent machine is a combination of bicycle and coffee maker, using clean green energy to whip up a fine cup of joe, leaving a minimal carbon footprint on the planet. Designed from the ground up around a custom rear-steer tricycle, this java maker on wheels is a complete and compact ‘go-anywhere’, off-grid coffee-vending machine.
5. BRANCH OUT
WHAT: A bakery that provides healthy, creative treats brought to customers on a bike.
IN DETAIL: Branch Out supplies organic vegan delicacies that are plant based, gluten free and nut free as part of an initiative that celebrates community and and sustainability. Bike enthusiast Tricia is the brains behind the business and ensures that all the homemade goodies are delivered to local customers with the help of two wheels.
