Food businesses wanted for international publication

Sustainable food is worth £8.64billion to the UK economy. 

Driven by increasing consumer appetite and new legislation, buyers from retail, wholesale and the public sector are actively seeking suppliers that can help them meet this growing market demand.

Ecostudio is preparing a publication for the Welsh Government to promote how innovative food businesses profit through brands, products and services that benefit the environment and local communities.

We are seeking up to 10 food businesses from Wales to be included in this publication.

This is a free promotional opportunity. Please get in touch before 5pm Friday 17^th February 2017

Contact:

Iain Cox

m: 07827 815876
e: iain@ecostudio.org.uk

New report available: How Community Food Co-ops make a positive contribution to future generations.

Since 2004 the RRU Community Food Co-ops programme in Wales has provided healthy and affordable food to those that most need it – whilst providing much needed access to market, and a straightforward distribution for an increasing number of regional growers and local produce. 

Run as a social enterprise and volunteer led there were over 300 co-ops active across Wales in 2016. 

The programme was established with Welsh Government funding to deliver multiple policy objectives on health, poverty and rural development. It is closely aligned with the goals of the Well being for Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. They strive to ensure their operational activities and strategic decision making is environmentally sound and socially responsible. 

Ecostudio has worked closely with the team to develop an award winning 10 point sustainability plan. This has enabled them to monitor, evaluate and improve their performance whilst demonstrating a return on investment that adds value to the community benefits that they are established to deliver.

Our report provides a summary of this work to date. It can be downloaded here.

We have an immediate requirement for a sustainable food researcher.

You'll be working with us on the Sustainable Supply Chains initiative a Welsh Government funded project that we've been running in partnership with f3 since 2009.

Your role will be to help us develop the Sustainable Business Review - a new self assessment toolkit for food and farming businesses that we are launching to the industry throughout Wales.

This is a 3 month fixed term post until the end of July 2015.

For further information and to apply for the role here.

Abergavenny Food Conference - a talk by Iain Cox with Debbie Handley of the RRU Community Food Co-ops

We were delighted to deliver a talk at the Abergavenny Food Conference last month alongside some inspirational speakers covering a broad range of topics about innovation in local food.

Hosted by Miller Research and now in it's 8th year the Conference is an integral part of the the annual, award winning, Abergavenny Food Festival.

Click here to watch us on YouTube.

Here's the blurb:

How doing business sustainably helps small food enterprises gain commercial advantage

Many food enterprises play a positive role in local communities and the environment. All too often however these efforts go unnoticed and growth opportunities are missed.

This talk draws on Ecostudio's work supporting small businesses to demonstrate their contribution to sustainable development.

It includes a working example of the RRU Community Food Co-ops 10 point sustainability plan.

RRU Community Food Co-ops wins national horticulture award for environmental practices!

We're delighted that the RRU Community Food Co-ops have been recognised for their leadership and commitment in sustainable development by receiving the Environmental Excellence Award from Horticulture Wales - an official organisation established to support Welsh horticulture business.

The Community Food Co-ops are long established to provide healthy and affordable food to those that most need it – whilst providing much needed access to market, and a straightforward distribution for an increasing number of regional growers and local produce.

Run as a social enterprise and volunteer led there are currently over 300 co-ops active across Wales. 

Ecostudio have been working with the RRU social enterprise since 2009.

A 10 point sustainability plan has enabled them to measure, evaluate and improve their performance whilst demonstrating an environmental and economic return on investment that adds value to the community benefits that they are established to deliver.

We'll write more about this here soon. In the meantime feel free to get in touch if you'd like to find out more.

Sustainably speaking at the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development and Cynnal Cymru

It’s not every day we’re invited to share the floor with representatives Coca Cola, Arriva Trains Wales and the Energy Savings Trust.

Yesterday’s Wales launch of the UKBCSD initiative is about encouraging a shift towards more sustainable behaviour in business, and the Sustainable Development Charter, seems to us like a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge with industry from across all sectors.

Our (soon to be launched) self assessment toolkit for food businesses to identify,improve and communicate their sustainability credentials demonstrates how Ecostudio can support the UKBCSD and Cynnal Cymru in enabling sustainable behaviour in business.

With flooding, snow and high winds disrupting travel links and perhaps serving as a (not so) gentle reminder of the role the climate has in our lives. Delegates that braved the elements to get to Cardiff learned about a variety of ways that large organisations and SMEs are winning new business through taking environmentally and people friendly approaches. 

Ways to save energy through using less water, improving safety and increasing customer satisfaction through better signage, using new (plant based) materials that prevent packaging waste and increase brand value were just some of the practical business activities described by an excellent and diverse group of speakers.

Drawing on Ecostudio work and using practical examples. Iain Cox explained the importance of developing sustainable approaches to business, the market drivers and challenges facing micro and SMEs, particularly those in the Welsh food sector.

More about the event including the presentations can be viewed here.

Free sustainable business coaching for Welsh food companies!

Ecostudio are offering an opportunity for up to 6 food companies to receive up to 2 half-day sustainable business coaching sessions. We're providing this free of charge subject to eligibility.

There are numerous benefits that food companies can gain from doing this. For example, food businesses that demonstrate good practices can take advantage of new opportunities in areas such as supplying the public sector, selling to retail and hospitality, or selling direct to consumers.

Ecostudio in collaboration with f3 have been awarded Welsh Government funding to develop the Welsh food supply chain.

Further information can be found on the project website. Click here.

If you’re interested in this opportunity email us asap we’ll call you to discuss in more detail.

Packaging for Horticulture – a practical guide for small enterprises

A new packaging guide has been published by Horticulture Wales.

Packaging for Horticulture – a practical guide for small enterprises is written by Iain Cox of Ecostudio with support from Susie Gardner and designed by Kate Hamer Design.

Using research and knowledge gained from the horticulture and packaging industries. This free online guide is designed to help small companies overcome the commercial challenges they face when considering their packaging options, it provides technical know-how and explains how good environmental choices can win new business.

For further information and to register with Horticulture Wales to download the guide, click here.

To view the guide directly on ISSUU click here.

Phase 2 of the Sustainable Supply Chains initiative underway!

Building on the success of our work with f3 local food consultants in 2009-2011 the next stage of the Sustainable Supply Chains initiative will focus on 2 things:

1. to develop a self assessment sustainable business toolkit, and:
2. to support 3 social enterprises to expand their marketplace.

Ecostudio are busy with the research and development for the sustainable business toolkit that'll aim to provide the means for any food business to plan for the future.

We'll add regular updates here so please check back or contact us.

Monitoring and evaluating social enterprise and community food initiatives

Sustainable development isn’t just about the environment, it’s about social responsibility and economic benefit. This is widely talked about, but when it comes to putting sustainable business into practice it can raise different challenges that requires a new set of skills.

In recent years political, academic, industry and consumer interest has grown considerably in this area which has given rise to the development of businesses with social and environmental conscience. Social enterprises are seen as way forward by enabling communities to take ownership of initiatives that contribute back.

Like any business, social enterprises need to demonstrate their benefits they provide to the communities they serve. However because these can include environmental and social benefits aswell as a financial profit the way these benefits are captured requires so much more than a profit and loss balance sheet or an environmental management system.

Over the last year or so Ecostudio have been working with leading social enterprises and community initiatives to establish sustainable performance indicators and a practical methodology for benchmarking these benefits. This has provided a straightforward way to demonstrate a social businesses contribution to a sustainable future and offers a practical way forward for planning for the future.

A feature on one of our clients will follow……please check back soon….or contact us for more info.

Ecological footprinting for SMEs, Sustainable Supply Chains, Developing Sustainable Food Business, Food packaging & Food Waste, True Taste Awards, rural development, alternative land use..................all in a day's work (well 4 years or so actually!)

Now into our 5th year we thought it was about time that we began spreading the word about some of the projects we've been involved with since we started way back in 2008.

Click here to download an update to some projects we've completed.

In the new year we'll publish the findings of some current projects that involve benchmarking and measuring the sustainable performance of a social enterprise, developing best practice guidnace for packaging in the horticulture industry, and news of our policy work on food waste and food packaging waste.

Drop us a line if you would like to find out more.

Ecostudio new website launching on November 19th - check back soon!

We're currently developing and updating our website to inform potential clients about what we do and to act as a resource for sustainable business in the food and drink sector.

We're compiling a number of case studies of companies that we've worked with in recent years. These provide examples of how developing innovative and responsible practices improves sustainability and is simply better for business.

Here's a few links to provide a taster:

The Knobbly Carrot Food Company: http://www.theknobblycarrot.co.uk/

Ty Tanglwyst Dairy: http://www.tytanglwystdairy.com/

Bacheldre Mill: http://www.bacheldremill.co.uk/

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