There’s something magical that happens when you walk through a pop-up market brimming with businesses built on a backbone of belief, not just bottom lines. Thrive Street Manchester wasn’t just another retail event; it was a rallying cry for brands like ours that dare to lead with kindness, vision, and conviction.
We set out the framework for The Biskery years ago. To be a business with more heart than hustle, grounded in a simple promise: making people feel appreciated.
Candidly, it can feel lonely in a world obsessed with scale and speed, especially in B2B gifting, where margin often shouts louder than mission. Yet, our mission never wavered, even when the world looked at us and wondered: Is this kindness thing just a cute gimmick? Are you mad to put generosity front and centre in your business model?
The kindness economy
Enter Mary Portas OBE: the “Queen of Shops,” champion of the Kindness Economy, and the fire behind Thrive Street. Lisa discovered Mary through her interview with Steven Bartlett, a conversation that landed so profoundly, it was as if she’d looked into our hearts and told us: “You’re not crazy. You’re ahead of the curve.” Listening to her, we realised she understood what we’d been yearning to hear: Values are not a business luxury, they are your market advantage. Her embrace of purpose-driven business permitted us to lean into our conviction, not back away from it.
So, being chosen for Thrive Street Manchester, curated by Mary herself, felt like coming home. Surrounded by just 14 other purpose-led British brands, we set up our stall, each biscuit a miniature tribute to the idea that thoughtful giving leaves a mark. The festival didn’t just offer us retail space; it handed us belonging, affirmation, and the kind of community entrepreneurship desperately needs.
It was Mary’s concept of kindness as a business superpower that shaped the atmosphere. She’s spent decades proving that success built on humanity isn’t eccentric; it’s essential. Thrive Street was a showcase of brands choosing collaboration over competition, purpose over ego, and creative joy over churn. We traded stories as much as products. We found support, not scepticism.
Thrive Street Manchester
Thrive Street was important because it showed that businesses led by kindness and meaning aren’t fringe dwellers. We’re forging the future of business, one biscuit, one conversation, one appreciative customer at a time. And sometimes, you just need someone like Mary Portas to show you your approach isn’t mad; it’s necessary.
If Thrive Street Manchester was a demonstration, it was for this: kind companies don’t just survive. Given the right platform and belief, they thrive. And that’s a lesson we’ll carry with us, baked into every biscuit, shared in every story, and gifted with genuine appreciation, week after week.
If you want to know more about us and our biscuits, then please visit our biscuit shop.
