{"id":25338,"date":"2025-06-19T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T10:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=25338"},"modified":"2025-06-19T11:45:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T10:45:00","slug":"andy-and-nicole-brought-purpose-positivity-and-big-profits-to-bedfordshire-with-the-fruit-veg-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/andy-and-nicole-brought-purpose-positivity-and-big-profits-to-bedfordshire-with-the-fruit-veg-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Andy and Nicole brought purpose, positivity, and big profits to Bedfordshire with The Fruit & Veg Man"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

When you think of typical franchisees who have made it their career to sell fresh fruit and vegetables, a former hostage negotiator and a highly experienced sales and marketing consultant might not be the first combo that springs to mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But for Andy Rivers and Nicole Bilham, their decision to join The Fruit & Veg Man network in spring 2025 wasn\u2019t just about pivoting their lifestyle \u2013 it was also about making a genuine difference.<\/p>\n

With a shared passion for community, people, and positive impact, the duo have made a phenomenal start with their franchise, which covers the Bedfordshire region and beyond.<\/p>\n

Despite being just weeks into their business, they are already turning over serious numbers, with an ambition to hit \u00a31 million in the near future.<\/p>\n

Their journey captures everything The Fruit & Veg Man stands for: fresh produce, fresh thinking, and a fresh start for those who want more from life and business.<\/p>\n

Going from boardrooms to wholesalers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nicole and Andy may come from very different professional backgrounds, but they\u2019re united by one key trait: an unstoppable drive to connect with people and make a difference.<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cI started in sales and marketing at 18 with ITV. I climbed the ranks before leaving to set up my own marketing agency in 2019. That\u2019s actually when Andy and I met, and over time we started working together delivering corporate training on building relationships, negotiation, and sales, as they all go hand-in-hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came across The Fruit & Veg Man and what they were doing really resonated with me. Having worked with brands for 20 years, I can honestly say they are hands down the most fun brand I\u2019ve ever worked with. From the people, to the mindset, to the impact they want to have, it\u2019s truly magnificent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI already had my own business, so I knew I didn\u2019t want to run a franchise solo. I called Andy and asked if he wanted in. His immediate reply was, \u2018Hell yes!\u2019. And here we are!\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m 59 and this is the biggest pivot of my life. I spent 23 years as a police officer, including time as a hostage, crisis, and negotiator, before retiring from the police in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter studying in hypnotherapy and NLP, I became a positive mindset and business coach, mainly operating in the corporate world, with a focus on leadership. Helping people unlock their potential has always been my passion, because I’m a great believer everyone’s got the answers \u2013 they just need to be asked the right questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Fruit & Veg Man has been the best thing that\u2019s happened to me in a long while. It\u2019s given me a whole new lift, motivation, drive, and energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making a difference to hospices and the wider community<\/strong><\/p>\n

For both Andy and Nicole, the connection to The Fruit & Veg Man\u2019s mission was instant.<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cWhat sits at the top of our values is making a difference, and that\u2019s exactly what The Fruit & Veg Man is all about. So us and the brand are completely aligned.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth us and Sanjay Roy, the founder, are born and bred in Luton, which is where Keech Hospice is located. Keech holds a dear place in all of our hearts, being one of the biggest charities in the county, and it’s been part of our hometown for so long. We know others that have utilised their care and services and we know how much they support the community. So being able to help them as part of running the franchise is a huge part of why we said yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s also all about the people for me. My whole career has been about working with people \u2013 whether they\u2019re at their most vulnerable, excited, or angry \u2013 so these relationship-building skills are something I\u2019ve always done.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt works so well with this community-focused role. I love connecting with people at the markets; the fruit and veg is almost secondary to the relationships we build. That\u2019s what makes this business so special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaping the rewards of support that never sleeps<\/strong><\/p>\n

The training and onboarding process is vitally important when joining any franchise. At The Fruit & Veg Man, it\u2019s overseen directly by Sanjay, with Nicole and Andy immediately reassured by just how in-depth and personal it was.<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cSanjay is like a messiah, honestly! We\u2019ve had formal training, shadowed him, and felt completely supported the entire time. His mindset is phenomenal; everything is a lesson, not a failure. You just don\u2019t get that level of commitment anywhere else.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the benefit of having run our own businesses in the past, which makes a massive difference in hitting the ground running. But this isn\u2019t essential, because you can learn everything you need from Sanjay and the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cThere\u2019s no hierarchy. No ‘them and us’. Sanjay\u2019s passion to help others succeed is so strong. He\u2019s right behind you and he will not let you sink. As an example, he was at the wholesalers at 4am this morning, purely to be with us and to help load the van.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never feel alone, so that\u2019s the difference. Plus, the other franchisees jump in to help all the time. It\u2019s a proper family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting off to a flying start<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although they\u2019re only weeks into the business, Andy and Nicole aren\u2019t just finding their feet \u2013 they\u2019re already sprinting!<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cWe\u2019ve made such a strong start that we\u2019ve already got two vans on the road. We\u2019re turning over hundreds of thousands of pounds already \u2013 the pace of growth in such a quick time has been amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s almost running faster than we can keep up, but in a good way! We\u2019ve got the full support of the people who love and know us, and truly understand why we\u2019re doing it, which is so important.<\/p>\n

Scaling to a million-pound operation that gives back to the community<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s significant potential with each and every Fruit & Veg Man franchise, so it\u2019s little wonder Andy and Nicole are aiming for big things.<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cFirstly, we\u2019ve set ourselves the target of hitting \u00a31 million revenue, which we believe is eminently achievable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThereafter, the long-term goal is to turn this into a scaled management franchise. We want a team doing the deliveries, a dedicated lock-up for stock, and an admin person to keep things ticking over efficiently. That way we can focus on growth, scaling, and supporting others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cI have always been passionate about providing opportunities for others and this franchise allows us to do just that. It’s one thing to grow and develop a franchise of your own but creating jobs for others is another level we are excited to get to\u201d<\/p>\n

Why customers are choosing The Fruit & Veg Man over the supermarket<\/strong><\/p>\n

Better quality, real connections, and local love are the main drivers, as Nicole and Andy explain.<\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cWe beat supermarkets on freshness every time. The way that the model works, we have a five-day lead time on any supermarket in the land, not only is the quality better but it also lasts longer. Plus, we are embedded within our community too and raising vital funds for Keech Hospice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose three things together make it a no brainer. Now I\u2019m a franchisee, I can see the impact this brand is having on our communities. The feedback is unanimously brilliant and that makes me so proud to be part of something very special\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cI used to buy from a farm shop, which meant travelling and paying high prices. With us, you can get better produce, delivered to you with a smile. The interaction is everything. Price is what you pay; value is what you get. And the value for us is in the relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will be training our future team to deliver that emotional connection to customers as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advice for aspiring franchisees<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nicole:<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible opportunity, but you\u2019ve got to work at it. The one skill that will make the difference in this franchise is resilience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot to keep track of \u2013 invoices, national contracts, B2B, B2C, markets, margins \u2013 so you\u2019ve got to know your numbers and stay on top of your admin.<\/p>\n

“Having said that, the reward is in each and every interaction. People’s faces light up when they see our product and it is the very best feeling in the world.”<\/p>\n

Andy:<\/strong> \u201cYou must be able to step outside of your comfort zone, and you’ve got to be able to accept rejection. But if you have the chance to pivot your life in this direction, which nobody might expect, take it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard work, but it\u2019s easy work if you\u2019re passionate. For me, the ability to get up in the morning, pick up supplies, then go and engage with the community and leave them feeling great with some amazing produce, is hard work \u2013 but it\u2019s great fun. I bounce out of bed every day buzzing; they\u2019ve even started calling me Tigger!<\/p>\n

\u201cAs everyone knows, if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. And I absolutely love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want to grow a fresh, feel-good business that makes a difference?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If Andy and Nicole\u2019s story has inspired you, maybe it\u2019s time you picked up the phone.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a corporate escapee, a people person with purpose, or someone looking to build a business that really matters, The Fruit & Veg Man could be your perfect next chapter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you think of typical franchisees who have made it their career to sell fresh fruit and vegetables, a former hostage negotiator and a highly experienced sales and marketing consultant might not be the first combo that springs to mind. But for Andy Rivers and Nicole Bilham, their decision to join The Fruit & Veg […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":25339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[60,1541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-food-franchises","category-the-fruit-and-veg-man"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/fruit-and-veq.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25338\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}