Retail Business of the Year 2015: Meet the finalists Our six contenders to be named the UK's top retail start-up have got customers flocking to them. But which companies made our shortlist? Written by The Startups Team Published on October 12, 2015 Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Written and reviewed by: The Startups Team July 2015 marked the 28th consecutive month in which retail sales volumes rose – amounting to an average weekly spend of £7.1bn for the month.E-commerce has played a huge part in the sustained growth with July showing a 13% year-on-year rise from 2014. So while the nature of consumer spending may have altered dramatically in the past 15 years, campaigns such as Small Business Saturday and a drive to reinvigorate independent shops have ensured that the retail industry remains a huge contributor to Britain’s economic growth.And our finalists in the Retail Business of the Year category are further evidence that the sector continues to produce exciting new businesses. CaféPodThe market-leading retail brand in the UK selling Nespresso-compatible coffee pods. Offering “great coffee at a reasonable price”, the start-up can now be found in Tesco, Ocado, Whole Foods, Amazon, Selfridges and Booths.View the full profile here.GoustoDelivers recipe boxes to time starved foodies with the exact ingredients they need to make quality meals. It has seen 100% revenue growth every six months, has an app in Beta with Apple and recently partnered with chef Theo Randall.View the full profile here.MyShowcaseA beauty e-commerce platform which showcases over 30 independent beauty brands. Selling through its online channel and over 400 trained ‘Stylists’, the company boasts a 21% customer return rate and recently secured $1.8m to “accelerate growth”.View the full profile here.Swoon EditionsE-tailer selling craftsman-made furniture at low-cost prices. By launching just four new designs every day in a limited quantity to its customers, the business has seen triple digit growth and now has 58 employees working across London, India, China and Vietnam. View the full profile here.SportPursuitThe UK’s largest flash sales shopping site with over 1.8 million customers worldwide, and sales of over 500,000 items in 2014. It sells kit from leading brands such as Puma and Asics at up to 70% off RRP in seven day sales.View the full profile here.HonestBrewA craft beer delivery service which matches beer to customer tastes using personalised profiles. Working with over 50 breweries worldwide, it has reached thousands of customers and has over 1,200 subscribers. View the full profile here. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Written by: The Startups Team