Portland's SoupCycle reaches 50,000 deliveries by bike

SoupCycle, an organic soup delivery service that serves its customers by bicycle, made its 50,000th delivery recently, a significant milestone for the four-year-old company.

SoupCycle’s business model is based on consistent customers and weekly deliveries. Customers sign up for a “Soupscription,” which includes a weekly delivery of organic soup, salad and rustic breads to their home or office. The pioneering bicycle-based business started with just seven customers, one bike and trailer, and Lazar making all the deliveries. The company has since grown to include about 600 weekly customers, including notable Portlanders such as Mayor Sam Adams.

Other Portland businesses have taken note and followed suite. In addition to SoupCycle, the city boasts fifteen companies that do business exclusively by bicycle, including plumbers, landscapers and house-cleaners. 

Since its inception, SoupCycle’s mission has been to support local, organic farmers and use bicycles as its primary form of transportation. Over the last four years, the company has funneled $98,000 to local farms and biked more than 20,000 miles—eliminating approximately 18,000 pounds of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.