Dear Crowd,
Seven weeks have passed since the opening of our SirPlus store on Wilmersdorfer Straße. During this exciting time, our store team of dedicated interns has grown even larger, ten thousand customers have come and gone, and countless deliveries of rescued food have arrived and found their way into the stomachs of our rescuers.
We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support we receive from all the people who are interested and bring life to the shop. With so many different people, all united by their passion for rescuing food, countless wonderful conversations and stories arise, making the work so enjoyable for the entire SirPlus team. SirPlus has also received significant media coverage, including on ARD , ZDF , Deutsche Welle , RTL, and in numerous newspapers .
We are still looking for motivated people who want to do an internship with us, whether in the store, office or warehouse, more information here .
In the weeks leading up to the opening, Aki, a passionate filmmaker from Kiel, stumbled upon SirPlus online and was immediately captivated by the concept. He spontaneously offered to make a short promotional video for the store. Since we were all thrilled with the idea, he came to Berlin specifically for the film, shooting during the final renovations and the grand opening, until he proudly presented his first cut on his last evening in the capital.
We'll let you know as soon as the film is online. In the meantime, you can enjoy these photos taken by his friend Leo on opening day.
In the first few days at the SirPlus Store, a customer ceremoniously presented us with a cut-out newspaper article about our store, lovingly framed, “as an opening gift”.
The inspiration we exchange with our fellow human beings, fellow rescuers and employees is incredibly valuable and motivates us anew every day.
One of the best things for everyone at SirPlus is seeing how many different people find their way to us every day. We're constantly discovering familiar faces among our customers. Whether it's the children who regularly buy their 5-cent crackers with their saved-up change, the activists from foodsharing.de and other initiatives against food waste, or the neighbors who pick up a snack or baguette after work...
A boy approaches the checkout with a handful of change and sets down a bottle. The money is counted. SirPlus employee: "Unfortunately, that's not quite enough." Without a word, the young man in line behind the child adds a 50-cent coin. When the boy thanks him, he smiles. Saving lives also means sharing!
Our product range takes some getting used to for customers, especially at the beginning, as it can't yet compete with that of a regular supermarket. After all, SirPlus only offers leftovers from other stores and can't simply order the products that sell best. But that also means there's always something new and surprising in our selection.
"Wow, dude!" exclaimed a student who had only paid three euros for bananas, apples, plums, nectarines, and snacks. A customer brought a packaged kilo of lamb's lettuce to the checkout and asked, "Can I buy just half of it?" Unfortunately, we could only sell the lettuce as a whole. When a woman who was about to leave heard this, she turned around and came back. "Is a kilo too much for you too?" she asked the customer. "Shall we split it?" They spontaneously paid in half, opened the package, and divided the salad evenly between two bags before both went on their way, satisfied.
We are still overwhelmed by the response we have received – initially through the crowdfunding campaign and partner companies, and now through our friendly and diverse customer base – and we say from the bottom of our hearts: Thank you! For your trust, for your honest criticism and suggestions for improvement, and for your appreciation!
Keep an eye on your email inbox. We'll soon be sending you a personal email regarding your well-deserved rescue boxes and other thank-you gifts from the crowdfunding campaign.
The first test rescue boxes have already been packed and shipped within Berlin. Nationwide shipping will begin in November, and you'll receive your thank-you gifts by Christmas at the latest! Thank you for your patience and trust!
Sincerely,
Your SirPlus Team
