UK ethical products market worth £36bn!

A soon to be published report by the Co-operative Bank will show that the UK market for ethical products is valued at a cool £36bn. It also shows that the average household spending on ethical food and drink has increased from £81 to £244 over the last decade.

This is significant because as more consumers continue to recognise the benefits of purchasing environmentally sustainable and socially responsible goods it mean that smarter businesses will adapt their practices to meet this demand.

It's not all about Fair Trade. Large companies such as Tesco are also responding to meet this demand. This means that their suppliers will need to conform to new sustainability standards if they want to maintain this business.

Can your business afford to ignore this? If you have the will we have the way to help your business achieve sales in the ethical marketplace. What's more our sustainable business programmes will help equip you to embrace the challenges that the future holds.
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....and the winner is...

Last night the True Taste Wales food and drink Awards took place in Abergavenney Market Hall. It is THE event on the food and drink calendar in Wales.

The Sustainable Development award was presented to Kevan Downing, Hospitality Manager of Aberystwyth University.

We're absolutely delighted for Kevan and his team and we're looking forward to working with Kevan and the True Taste to continue to raise awareness of doing better business to the food and drink sector in the year ahead. Please check back for more updates.

Find out more here.

Ecostudio featured in the Observer Food Monthly!

Iain Cox (Ecostudio) was interviewed alongside Professor Tim Lang (Professor of Food Policy at City University London) by the Observer Food Monthly for an article titled: 'Wales leads the way to a sustainable future'.

The article describes the work that is being done to recognise Welsh businesses for their contribution to Sustainable Development. Ecostudio work in partnership with the True Taste Wales to deliver this groundbreaking award.

'Sustainability is about how the food economy works, how the supply chain works, its impact upon the material and biological environment on which the whole of humanity depends' says Professor Tim Lang.

Iain Cox explains what this means to businesses 'It's about making changes, doing business differently and it's about taking risk. It's about businesses being more innovative'

Click here to download the article in full.
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Doing business more sustainably brings huge opportunities for forward thinking food and drink companies

But don't just take our word for it!
Consider the current growth in demand for local food, the recent boom in organics. Then consider how businesses are responding to this new phenomenon: take a look at the Co-operative, Innocent Smoothies, Green & Blacks and some less well known (but equally forward thinking) companies, Ty Tanglwyst Dairy, Bacheldre Mill, The Knobbly Carrot Food Company.

What do all these businesses share?
An understanding that by placing environmental ethics and social responsibility at the heart of what they do (and clearly communicating these values) can generate good PR and more sales.

Thereby creating a more sustainable business. This is where Ecostudio can help.
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What does Ecostudio do?

We're often asked this question and this will all be included in our new website launching later this month - here's a summary (feel free to contact us to find out more):

We work together with business and the public sector to apply environmentally innovative and socially responsible practice in the food and drink industry.

We combine our knowledge with our client's experience of their marketplace. We work with them to ensure their business objectives are met in the most sustainable way. Our experience shows that it's better to help people make their own decisions.

Our approach is different and our results are more sustainable.

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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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Ecostudio are experts in the creative and practical application of sustainable business development.

We focus on the food and drink sector. Our aim is to ensure goods and services are produced and consumed in environmentally sustainable, socially responsible ways - and that they are made available to all consumers.

Our refreshing approach has been developed by working together with many leading organisations from business and the public sector. It is backed by knowledge based research.

Changes to our economy and to our climate mean that there has never been a better time to embrace sustainable practices. But this is not without risk.

This is where Ecostudio help.

We ensure organisations are equipped to manage the uncertainties and implement the changes necessary to build a brighter, sustainable and more profitable future.

Contact us today on +44(0)29 2045 4736 | info@ecostudio.org.uk