News and Features
How a Bristol company is helping its employees reduce foodmiles Most regular visitors to this website have made a personal commitment to change their shopping and eating habits, and many also influence their families, but Edward Shaw, MD of Bristol based Bart Spices has gone one step further and is helping his employees to enjoy fresh, local produce. Bart Spices has joined forces with Somerset Organic Link (SOL), a co-operative of organic farmers in Somerset supplying a wide range of fresh organic vegetables and fruit all year round. “I saw the products at several events and loved the displays” says Edward, “we came up with idea of reciprocal trading. They sell our Organic Hot Chilli Sauce and coconut products and we order fruit and vegetable boxes for our staff”. Bart Spices supply fine quality herbs, spices and coconut products, enabling their customers to recreate wonderful dishes from every corner of the world in their own homes. At first glance they don’t make an obvious partner for a dedicated organic supplier committed to local food, but the two organisations share core values. Bart Spices are pioneers of Fairtrade and organic products, the Chiili Sauce for example is the only organic chilli from Peru, produced by a family company. When the earthquake struck last year, Bart donated the proceeds fro the sauce sales to their reconstruction project. Bart also supports a once derelict tea estate in Kerala, now run as a biodynamic cultivation producing single estate green tea and peppercorns, with it’s own waste management unit and primary school for the workers’ children. So how does the box scheme operate? Tabitha, who administers it explains “I take the orders from the staff and call SOL to tell them how many boxes and bags we need. Each Tuesday they deliver our order, collect payment and pick up the Hot Chilli Sauce and Coconut Milk that they need for their customers. The fruit and vegetables packs come in two sizes, staff can order either a standard size bag, containing 7 different items or a large box with all the products from the bag plus a few extra items. ”
Edward says “Box schemes have moved on from the early days of football-sized turnips and mis-shaped potatoes. Recently we’ve had cabbages, lovely carrots, beetroot, pears, several varieties of apples and delicious Spanish oranges. Each bag contains a newsletter explaining where the products are from that week. SOL source from within Somerset where possible, but have to purchase from further afield when crops have sold out or for products that can’t be grown here” . For Tabitha, box schemes are a new experience “You can really taste the difference” she says “the products are so tasty, and very affordable for the quality. It’s good that most of the vegetables are the ones I use frequently, but also that I occasionally get to try something new. One week we had chard, I had to ask around the office to find out what it was and how to cook it. The Bart Spices scheme makes it so easy for people who work all day to take part, no hassle taking deliveries, recycling the packaging or making payments.“ I asked Christina Ballanger, who heads up Somerset Organic Link, how they see the alliance from their side “Reciprocal trade always feels good” she says “it has to make sense for our van to carry something on both the outward and return trips and multiple orders to one site keep costs and foodmiles down. We would like to build on this experience and are in discussions with several other companies at the moment”. If you are interested in setting up a similar scheme Christina would be happy to talk to you about the possibility. The agreement does not have to involve reciprocal trade. SOL are committed to the social and economic benefits of the local food sector, hold regular open days and wors with local schools. The company supports fresh food co-ops and donates young vegetable plants to community gardens. Several farmers’ markets in Somerset have a SOL stall. The co-op supplies supplies several home delivery services in the area including Somerset Local Food Direct, as well as retailers, cafes and restaurants in Somerset, North Somerset, Bath and Bristol.
Somerset Organic Link Mixed vegetable box (small), as supplied to Bart Spices in Jan 08 – containing seven different types of vegetable: swede, carrots, brussel sprouts, beetroot, cauliflower, a punnet of mixed sprouting seeds and spring greens all grown in Somerset, Devon or Hereford
Somerset Organic Link . . . PS For those (like me) who are unfamiliar with chard, it is a relative of beetroot, with similar looking leaves. Unlike beetroot, though, it’s the leaves that are eaten, they have a slightly bitter flavour, which can be offset by sautéing with garlic. It can also be roasted, steamed or even grilled. Recipe
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