Managing a sustainable food and drink business is increasingly important given the Welsh Government’s strategic vision to build a strong and vibrant food and drink industry in Wales and its aims for Net Zero carbon status by 2030.
You could be forgiven for thinking that it’s all about the environment - and it is to some extent, but it’s far more than that. It’s about people - both employees and consumers. Good ‘sustainable’ businesses will want to invest in their people’s wellbeing and customers are increasingly interested in sustainable practices within a business. Trade buyers want companies with sustainable credentials and in order to succeed, businesses must stay ahead of the game.
One company who has previously taken advantage of Sustainability Training provided by Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru | Food & Drink Skills Wales is Prima Foods UK Ltd.
Established in 1988, the company specialise in manufacturing suet, individually quick-frozen dumplings, and steam cooked meal components. Nestled comfortably in the heart of Dafen near Llanelli, the company is committed to working with their community and all partners in their supply chain towards a circular economy for a sustainable future.
Peter Rice, Managing Director at Prima Foods shared his thoughts following the training and elaborated how the company has benefitted.
“What the course gave us was an ability to measure what we do and actually work out where we are on our journey” said Peter.
Peter explained that the first step was to complete an environmental audit by looking at how Prima Foods operates the factory and how it affects the community and the planet.
He adds:
“Operating in a sustainable way is not just about looking after the environment, it's also about making sure you are doing things in a sustainable way and making profit in a sustainable way.”
Since completing the course the company has appointed its own Sustainability team.
Their website has been updated to include a sustainability page outlining their objectives and plans.
Peter says:
“It’s paramount that sustainability messages are available to view for consumers and key stakeholders. Communicating your story strengthens your position in the market and gains trust and loyalty from your customers.”
The company is continuously training their employees and in June 2024 they completed the Green Dragon audit and achieved a Level 1 accreditation. This prepares them well to progress on to Level 2.
Peter says:
“Back in February 2024, the company invested £140k into a phase 1 solar panel project and are now generating 10-15% of their energy from this renewable source. Phase 2 for a similar amount is planned for 2026.
From July 2024 all electricity being supplied to the site is from a renewable source and a review of their EDI statement and policies is taking place during 2024.”
The commitment to tackle Climate Change is one of the drivers behind the Sustainability Training delivered by Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru | Food & Drink Skills Wales. This fully funded training programme is proven to equip owners and managers with the skills and know-how to build practical plans that respond to climate change - as well as satisfying customer needs.
Sustainability is a huge topic with multi layered strands, and the thought of developing your business practices to meet with legally binding standards, may well be daunting.
In order to assist you on your way,Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru | Food & Drink Skills Wales offers an introductory Sustainability Training which covers all key concepts, legislation and terminology such as Net Zero, UN SD Goals and the Circular Economy - what they are and what they mean to you. Critically, the training covers how to apply these to your business and why it makes commercial sense to do so.
Peter himself attended the training, delivered by EcoStudio and Cynnal Cymru and would highly recommend it to other businesses.
If you wish to explore how to integrate more sustainable methods of working into your action plans and demonstrate tangible progress as experienced by Prima Foods, get in touch with us today. The next course will commence in January 2025.