Top award-winning doughnut and ice-cream businesses teams up for doorstep deliveries by Tilly

Three award-winning Derbyshire businesses have joined together in a partnership to bring tasty treats direct to hungry people across the nation.

Bluebells Dairy and Project D are working with personalised gifting company Colleague Box as they launch their latest venture; a self-powered gifting trailer that can visit your home or place of work.

From September the Colleague Box van, dubbed 'Tilly the Trailer' will be available for local deliveries, for businesses wanting to reward employees, and also households in the region who fancy a sumptuous snack that's made in Derby.

The award-winning company operated by husband-and-wife team Adam and Natalie Bamford are also offering corporate deliveries of Project D's delicious doughnuts nationwide, with an option to add your own branding to each doughnut.

Colleague Box CEO Natalie Bamford said: “We're really excited about being able to offer Project D doughnuts in our gift boxes now, and then both the doughnuts and Bluebells ice-cream will be available to purchase via app Deliveroo and delivered, once she's up and running, by Tilly our trailer. Both are iconic Derby brands who we have a lot of respect for.”

The collaboration came about after all three businesses, plus Darley Abbey Wines and fruit liquor company Hogg Norton, were invited to the Houses of Parliament by MPs Pauline Latham and Amanda Solloway, to exhibit their good in Westminster as part of 'Derbyshire Day'.

Natalie says this collaboration is yet another way of diversifying what Colleague Box has to offer clients, following their recent foray into selling flower bouquets and plants. 

She said: “Visiting the Houses of Parliament with Colleague Box was surreal and another milestone for us and our business.

“Going from a startup business created in our spare room to showcasing it in London was definitely a 'pinch me' moment!

“A number of companies I met are practically on our doorstep; like Colleague Box, Project D and Bluebells Dairy are based in Spondon. Finding out more about their journeys and building connections with them was very beneficial.

“Part of the Colleague Box mission is to grow responsibly and sustainably and, where possible, we aim to work with local suppliers, too”

Husband Adam is excited about taking their trailer to new places and bringing the gifting experience to different workplaces in the UK.

He said: “We're thrilled and excited about launching our new service and we're absolutely over the moon to have Project D and Bluebells Dairy onboard, too.

“Colleague Box has a five-star food hygiene rating – this was one of the requirements needed to enable us to sell our boxes via Deliveroo. And now, with our state-of-the-art trailer, we can provide companies with everything they require for an event including draught beer and cocktails, stone-baked pizzas and merchandise, too.

“If the past couple of years has taught us anything, it's that we really missed getting together during COVID. More than ever, milestones are being celebrated; work anniversaries, sporting events and historic occasions like the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

“Tilly is quite something. If there's no room at your place of work, we can fit our gifting experience into a meeting room or whatever space is available within your premises.

“We can then tailor gifts to be taken away or enjoyed on-site. It's an excellent way for companies to reward employees' accomplishments. We're really excited about Tilly and our collaboration with Bluebells and Project D.”

To find out more, visit www.colleaguebox.co.uk or connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.