As we enter another cold Wisconsin winter, the difficulties of getting around in the cold and snow can cause even the best-laid dinner plans to go awry. Nights out on the town increasingly turn into evenings in on the couch as tempuraters dip below the freezing point. None of this is a good reason to miss out on the ever-exploding local dining scene.

In April 2015, Jonathan Balicki and Brennan Kreiman set out to develop a business that could cater to Milwaukee’s growing food industry. Since this inception, Forward Courier has grown to partner up with Milwaukee’s largest food groups, as well as budding restaurants, all while delivering via bicycle.

Forward Courier works one on one with restaurants to curate to-go menus of easily transportable items that arrive just as fresh as if you were sitting in the restaurant. From BBQ to pies, tacos to crepes, their couriers are able to efficiently transport your favorite dishes all across the city.

“We take pride in working with small local businesses,” Balicki said. “We live here and we work here, so we like to share our favorite spots while doing what we enjoy, cycling.”

Forward recently developed an inhouse online ordering platform to make ordering from your favorite restaurant's even easier. Within a few clicks you can have a piping hot crepe delivered to you in the blink of an eye. Utilizing bicycles and large backpacks, they are able to effectively navigate the congested Downtown and reach suburban areas with ease.

Forward’s couriers are all equipped with custom bags from Trash Messenger Bags in Minneapolis. These bags have been tested in extreme weather conditions and have been proven to keep the precious cargo away from the elements. For larger orders that cannot fit in a standard backpack they utilize cargo bikes imported from Copenhagen.

These bikes are called “Bullitt’s” named after the 1968, Steve McQueen classic. They are capable of carrying 500 pounds, hauling everything from oversized catering orders to mail bins over to the post office.

With a staff of nearly 25 employees and growing, Forward operates seven days a week from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Forward Courier has two wheels on the ground offering a level of convenience to those who are in the office or to those that don’t want to leave the house. In the next month they are adding a car service that will increase their operational capabilities, offering services to BayView, Wauwatosa, Shorewood and beyond.

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You can find out more about Forward Courier here.