Food & drink, and hospitality are important business sectors in the South West, significantly contributing to the local economy, culture, and tourism. It has been fantastic to see companies embracing the challenges and opportunities that come with the drive towards sustainability that customers are coming to demand.
What used to be buzzwords – Organic, Sustainable, Environmental Impact, Fairtrade, Home-compostable Packaging, Carbon Emissions, Renewable Energy – have become part of our daily vocabulary. There is a very real expectation that companies will rise to the challenge of adhering to the principles of sustainability. We want our companies to be ‘Green’ – in reality, not just in their marketing campaigns.
One of the key aspects of sustainability is the sourcing of ingredients and production of food and drink. The South West is home to some of the most innovative and responsible food and drink businesses in the country, many of which have achieved the prestigious B Corp certification. This recognises businesses that balance purpose and profit and create positive social and environmental impact, like Hunt’s Food Group, Riverford Organic, the Sharpham Partnership, and Hattiers Rum.
Many businesses have invested in renewable energy, reduced their packaging waste, use recyclable or compostable packaging, and support local farmers and communities. They also use organic and locally grown ingredients, and are committed to reducing their carbon footprint, donating surplus food to charities, and paying their staff a living wage.
Some of them, like St Austell Brewery, Driftwood Spars Brewery, and Sharps Brewery, go one step further and spend time cleaning their local beaches. There have been collaborations with charities by the likes of Bays Brewery, Warrens Bakery, Flapjackery, and many more for the betterment of their communities. Companies like Tracklements have embraced the use of ugly fruit and vegetables to make sauces and condiments, and many restaurants use nose-to-tail methods to utilise the whole animal.
A great example of a company putting the principles of sustainable packaging into action is Westaway Sausages, who now use completely new packaging materials and designs and have replaced all the old plastic packaging on their products. This has led to them receiving awards for their packaging innovation and sustainability. Another good example is the Exploding Bakery, who have not only ditched all plastic from their packaging, embracing eco-friendly alternatives, but also have a No Palm Oil Guarantee and donate 1% of their turnover to environmental causes.
The Good Cup is a world first and has the potential to change the face of the hospitality industry and make a huge leap towards solving the single-use plastic coffee cup crisis. Voyager Coffee has spent a year of research and meticulous trial and error to come up with packaging which is 100% compostable and is made from sustainable plants.
The South West food, drink & hospitality awards industry has also risen to the occasion by celebrating companies with various sustainability awards like the Food Drink Devon Sustainability Pioneer Award and the Taste of the West Sustainability Award.
By reducing food waste and water use, hospitality businesses can not only save money and resources but also improve their environmental performance and social responsibility. By creating new products from waste or surplus materials, they can offer their customers more variety and novelty, and appeal to their curiosity and creativity. Furthermore, by supporting and joining the initiatives and campaigns that fight food waste and water use, such as the Food Waste Action Week or the Refill Scheme, or signing up to Fare Share or Too Good to Go, hospitality businesses can also demonstrate their commitment and leadership in sustainability and inspire their customers and peers.
As consumers, we can also play a vital role in supporting and demanding sustainability in the hospitality sector. We can do this by making informed and responsible food and drink decisions, and by celebrating the companies that go the extra mile to achieve high standards. These standards will hopefully become the norm in the near future.
