Tag: #FoodHeroScot

#FoodHeroScots’ first champions of 2022 announced

Enterprises applauded for their work to balance people, planet and profit

Forward-thinking food-related businesses across Scotland are proving it is possible to face a pandemic, start a new enterprise and operate sustainably to help protect the planet.

And the best have just been named as the latest #FoodHeroScotchampions for their dedication to doing things differently, effecting positive change and promoting sustainability.

Nominated by the public, they include Edinburgh Food Social, Mossgiel Organic Farm in Ayrshire, Re:Store in Lossiemouth and Ethic Earth based in Fife.

Launched last year by Medialiciously and its partners, #FoodHeroScot is a visual story-telling campaign aimed at putting sustainability at the heart of Scotland’s recovering post-pandemic food and drink industry and creating a platform for the country’s hospitality businesses.

The non-profit campaign, which is supported by STV’s £1m Green Fund, awards its champions an in-kind support package, including marketing and PR, worth over £25,000 to highlight the sustainability efforts of the successful brands. 

It includes ten powerful mini documentaries on businesses or social enterprises shared on the #FoodHeroScot website and spotlighted through a media campaign delivered by STV.

It is also supported by leading Scots business figures including: Alan Mahon, Founder of Brewgooder; Nick Nairn, Owner of Nairns Ltd; Carina Contini, Director at Victor & Carina Contini; Karis Gill, Co-Founder of Social Stories Club andLoral Quinn, CEO of Sustainably.

Commenting on the latest #FoodHeroScot awards, Lee Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of Medialiciously and key founder of #FoodHeroScot said: “It’s a real joy to see that there are so many inventive businesses determined to change the ways things are done and create a new, sustainable future.

“It’s never been more important to operate more ethically and responsibly and fantastic things are being achieved all over the country.  Our latest winners illustrate how all sorts of businesses can contribute to the campaign.”

Edinburgh Food Social is a social enterprise teaching young people and communities about local, seasonal food through hands-on cookery classes, workshops, school projects and community meals.

It focuses on improving the life chances of people facing poverty and their free meals are produced using food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Kirsty Haigh, head of Edinburgh Food Social, said:  “Winning this public vote is an honour for us but the truth is we never had any choice. We work in some of the communities who were worst hit by the pandemic and sitting back and letting people go hungry was never an option. 

“We are determined to bring healthy, sustainable, delicious food to everyone who needs it in Edinburgh, and winning this award will help us continue to do that.”

Mossgiel Organic Farm, in Mauchline, Ayrshire, exists to be the sustainable choice in dairy and emblazons its vans with the motto: ‘Changing Dairy, for a sustainable future’

Bryce Cunningham from Mossgiel Organic Farm said:   “We have an ambition to be net zero by December 2025 which we will be doing through the use of renewable technology, using organic grazing management for our cattle and, along with the farmers who supply us, regenerating our soils to sequestrate carbon into them.

“We have also been 100% single-use plastic free since January 2019 and we currently 50% of our delivery vehicles are 100% electric. Winning the support from this award will allow us to tell more people of our story, deliver more value to people in all areas of our supply chain whilst showing the world that Scottish Organic Dairy can be truly sustainable, natural and ethical.”

Re:Store in Lossiemouth is Moray’s zero wate refill shop, offering an alternative to supermarket shopping, and is owned by Alison Ruickbie.

Alison says: “I opened the shop as a result of not being able to find plastic/packaging free products locally.  I carry out extensive research before stocking a product to ensure its sustainable and ethical.

“My suppliers and food producers all share my ethos and brand values. I use suppliers who operate a circular/loop system – when their 20 litre containers are empty, I send a pallet back to be refilled and reused.  I believe there is no point in me saving a few 500ml bottles if I then must recycle a huge 20 litre one.  

“No one individual can live a perfect zero waste life but if lots of people do a little bit toward reducing waste, we can make a huge difference together.”

Ethic Earth is a multi-cause ethical directory aimed at easily making available a wide range of ethical options to consumers who might otherwise invest in less ethical products, services or food. It also offers eco-conscious and humane companies globally the chance to showcase their businesses to the world.

Founder Mia Calder says: “We are a brand-new company and only launched in May 2021. I am currently funding the company out of my own pocket while working full-time and raising my daughter on my own.

“It is a very daunting task and I do not have the finances to market Ethic Earth to its full potential. Being seen and supported by established and respected platforms such as Food Hero Scot and its media partners will make a huge difference to let businesses and consumers alike become aware of what we are all about.”

To find out more about supporting the green recovery of the industry or for more details on how to nominate businesses in the food and drink sector, visit:

www.foodheroscot.co.uk

Steampunk Coffee are first #FoodHeroScot winner

East Lothian coffee entrepreneur puts the planet before profit to win inaugural Food Hero award  

An East Lothian entrepreneur who runs her business on the principle of leaving the planet a better place has been named Scotland’s first sustainability Food Hero.  

Catherine Franks of Steampunk Coffee Roasters and Café, North Berwick, has been recognised by the visual storytelling campaign #FoodHeroScot for her commitment to positive change, doing things differently and sharing her vision of a more sustainable business model.  

She wins an in-kind support package, including marketing and PR, worth over £25,000 – the first of ten such awards which will highlight the sustainability efforts of the successful brands.  

Launched last month by Medialiciously and its partners, #FoodHeroScot’s mission is to put sustainability at the heart of Scotland’s recovering post-pandemic food and drink industry and create a platform to connect conscious consumers with ethical and sustainable food and drink brands, as well as helping the brands with finding sustainable food and drink suppliers.  

The non-profit campaign, is supported by STV’s £1m Green Fund which champions the efforts of sustainable Scottish SME businesses by profile-raising, communicating with consumers and encouraging Scots to reduce their carbon footprint. 

It is also supported by leading Scots business figures including: Alan Mahon, Founder of Brewgooder; Nick Nairn, Owner of Nairns Ltd; Carina Contini, Director at Victor & Carina Contini; Karis Gill, Co-Founder of Social Stories Club and Loral Quinn, CEO of Sustainably  

Catherine Franks began Steampunk Coffee in 2012 supplying coffee and cakes from the back of a vintage camper van at events including markets and festivals with coffee roasted in her garage. 

Steampunk supplied other cafes and ran pop-ups before moving to the warehouse at Kirk Ports which is the current home of their roastery and café.  

Catherine is thrilled with the #FoodHeroScot award and says: “It’s such a fantastic campaign and to get this recognition is hugely appreciated. It just shows everyone can make a difference. Our ethos underpins everything we do – it’s never an add-on.”  

Steampunk never serves bottled water, instead makes tap water freely available to customers and non-customers alike. Even through Covid, they promote the use of reusable cups. Catherine has long campaigned for re-usable cups and offers a discount to customers who use them.

She has a tin refilling process – temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus – which she is very anxious to resume, and her coffee comes in fully compostable or recyclable packaging. They collect their food waste and disposables for composting and aim to educate customers about the need to dispose of compostable responsibly.  

“As a business we are conscious of the waste streams we produce and we want to ensure  that at the end of its life the waste from any of our packaging can be recovered and put into the correct waste stream. We also recognise that it is important to give clear information to customers about how to deal with the waste to ensure this happens.  

“During the last year many people had more time to think about the world we live in and how we want to change it as we come out of lockdown. I think that kind of crystallised priorities for a lot of people.”  

Commenting on the first #FoodHeroScot award, Lee Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of Medialiciously and key founder of #FoodHeroScot said: “When we launched this campaign we were confident there would be great examples out there of businesses driven by sustainability and Steampunk is exactly that, a truly worthy inaugural winner.

“A number of other exciting initiatives are in the pipeline for recognition but we would encourage anyone who knows a real Food Hero to nominate them and highlight the great work being done to help the Scottish food and drink industry emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.”  

The campaign includes ten powerful mini documentaries on businesses or social enterprises that will be featured in coming months, shared on the #FoodHeroScot website and spotlighted through a media campaign delivered by STV, as part of their Green Fund commitment.   

To find out more about supporting positive recovery of the industry or for more details on how to nominate businesses in the food and drink sector, visit:

www.foodheroscot.co.uk  

To find out more about Steampunk and their efforts to promote sustainability and to contact them directly, please visit their website: https://www.steampunkcoffee.co.uk  

#FoodHeroScot launches to put sustainability at the heart of Scotland’s recovering Food and Drink industry

A dynamic new visual storytelling campaign #FoodHeroScot has been launched by Medialiciously and its partners, to create a platform for hospitality businesses in Scotland; showcasing the importance of sustainable products, services and initiatives, whilst shining a light on an industry significantly impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

The non-profit visual storytelling campaign, #FoodHeroScot, is supported by STV’s £1m Green Fund which aims to champion the efforts of sustainable Scottish SME businesses by raising their profile and communicating with consumers, whilst encouraging Scots to reduce their own carbon footprint. 

The campaign has attracted support from a number of business figures across Scotland including Alan Mahon, Founder of Brewgooder; Anna Lagerqvist Christopherson, Managing Director of Boda Bars; Nick Nairn, Owner of Nairns Ltd; Ayleen Gonzalez, Policy Advisor at Talk Aid; Carina Contini, Director at Victor & Carina Contini; Karis Gill, Co-Founder of Social Stories Club, Loral Quinn, CEO of Sustainably; Kelly Wright, Founder of The Refillery and Calum Haggerty, Managing Director of COCO Chocolatier.

Lee Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of Medialiciously and key founder of #FoodHeroScot said: “We are excited to be launching this innovative campaign and to be working with such great businesses and ambassadors in the hospitality sector who have shown their resilience and willingness to lead by example in driving sustainable impact.

“We want to leave a lasting impression by creating an ecosystem of businesses, partners, sector organisations and like-minded consumers that care about sustainability and the immediate impact of business and buying decisions on the planet.” 

Alan Mahon, movement ambassador and founder at Brewgooder said, “The food and drink industry is one of Scotland’s most dynamic, purposeful and inspiring sectors. To be an ambassador for my peers and to help create a more inclusive, and more impactful industry is a genuine honour.”

Over the course of the next 12 months, the campaign will reveal ten powerful mini documentaries featuring businesses or social enterprises that will be shared on the #FoodHeroScot website and amplified through a media campaign delivered by STV, as part of their Green Fund commitment.  

There will be three nomination and voting phases to encourage a fair competition process. In total, there will be 10 winning businesses and each of them will be gifted a support package worth over £25,000 of in-kind support packages including marketing and PR with the aim of shedding light towards the sustainability efforts of the winning brands. 

Danielle Kelly, STV’s Director of Strategy and Sales Scotland said: “#FoodHeroScot is a fantastic campaign which will showcase the innovation and creativity of Scotland’s hospitality industry in responding to the climate emergency. 

“As Scotland’s Public Service Broadcaster, we are committed to raising awareness of environmental issues and helping to effect change.  Our Green Fund shines a light on the great work of Scottish sustainable businesses and through this exciting new partnership we look forward to championing sustainability across the food and drink sector to help to drive Scotland’s economic recovery.” 

The #FoodHeroScot campaign will also promote the positive contribution of partner food and drink brands through a directory style website, complemented by a growing collection of business leaders and global ambassadors adding their voice and influence on the campaign and providing a far-reaching legacy and change towards sustainability.  

Lee Fitzpatrick concludes: “The Food and Drink industry across Scotland has been significantly affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic and it’s time to highlight their sustainable products, services and initiatives, supporting them in their recovery after such a devastating year for so many.

“We want this platform to spark important discussions and drive businesses to make a conscious change towards sustainability.”

Those interested in supporting the green recovery of the industry should visit www.foodheroscot.co.uk for more details around how to nominate businesses in the food and drink sector.