Thrive blooms on opening day for Cakeaway service
The new Thrive sustainable food cafe and restaurant opened its doors today - starting with a coffee and cakes-to-go service called Cakeaway.
“This morning has been a very exciting start!” said co-founder Jeremy Peters of the long-awaited opening (part one). “We’ve loved being able to serve a regular flow of lovely customers with the special Thrive blend of Hot Numbers coffee, Equinox Kombucha, and a wide range of cakes and pastries including delicious home-made jaffa cakes, white chocolate marbled flapjacks, gluten-free brownies, fruit croissants. We are adding light bites and sides now, for example onion bhaji fries. We are so so excited to be finally able to serve people and we’ve been overwhelmed with help, support and patient anticipation!”
Thrive has already had an epic journey: the new tenant was announced just before lockdown. There then followed a refit which was inevitably delayed. The delay saw Sook’s John Hoyle, who owns the premises, assist with the rent to ensure that the delay did not mean the end of the project.
“We have refurbished the building including replacing the former bar with a unique counter handcrafted by local carpenter from live-edged wood,” says Jeremy of the full lockdown period. “We very much appreciate John’s support during the challenges for hospitality businesses. It enabled us to continue working hard to prepare to open as soon as possible - to create a beautiful and friendly space for people to connect over delicious, sustainable plant-based meals, coffee and cakes.”
And today, the reward - though with safety measures integrated into the Thrive experience.
“Keeping everyone well is key to all of us at Thrive, so we are going to do our best to minimise contact and maximise safety while making sure you can take-away delicious plant-based goodies,” says Jeremy.
“Please help us by keeping two metres distance from staff and other customers while ordering and collecting and wear a protective face covering if possible.
“You’ll be able to order from our front door - card only, preferably contactless - but from today we encourage you to order online at thrivecambridge.com to make it simpler and beat the socially-distanced queue!
“Collect your order from the hatch on our piazza.”
Thrive’s sustainability ethos means working with local producers where possible. Along with the coffee comes from Hot Numbers - “look forward to a rich chocolate/caramel body with notes of hazelnut and apricot” - customers will notice the window boxes, with flowers provided by Darwin Nurseries, which is based off the Newmarket Road.
Darwin Nurseries is an NHS-run learning disability centre with a farm shop, garden centre, woodlands and florist.
“Our speciality is making hanging baskets,” Patrick Anderson, a learning disabilities support worker at Darwin Nurseries, told the Cambridge Independent. “Thrive has four window boxes sat on the top ledge. We don’t normally do this but two of us put in the compost and plants. Now that it’s open I’m certainly gong along for the free cake and coffee they’ve offered me!”
“They did an amazing job and we are so lucky to have their support,” noted Jeremy.
The next stage is a full opening, but there’s no date as yet.
“For these first few days we will be open from 10am to 6pm, or until we are out of stock,” says Jeremy. “Watch our socials, especially Instagram, for the latest updates, and stay tuned to our emails for news of expanding our launch to meals very soon.”
“We have been touched by your overwhelming levels of help and support. We couldn’t have opened without you.”
