Speciality Food March 2026

specialityfoodmagazine.com PRACTICAL WAYS TOMAKE YOUR RETAIL BUSINESS MORE SUSTAINABLE Start small and be honest. Many retailers do great things quietly, but don’t explain them well, which limits both customer understanding and commercial benefit. Rather than trying to do everything, focus on a few changes that fit naturally with your business. Whether that’s tightening up local sourcing, reducing waste in one area of the operation, or simplifying packaging where it makes sense - and do them well. Just as important is communicating those choices clearly. For example, a simple line at point of sale explaining why a product is sourced locally or why packaging has been changed often lands far better with customers than broad sustainability statements. Most importantly, avoid overcomplicating things. Sustainability tends to work best in independent retail when it supports the wider offer and day-to-day operation, rather than feeling like an extra initiative bolted on. When sustainability aligns with commercial reality, customer expectations and day-to-day operations, it has a far better chance of sticking. The goal shouldn’t be perfection, but progress that’s realistic, visible and meaningful. Mark Turnbull, founder and CEO of Impact Retail Training, shares changes Speciality Food retailers can make to create positive impact The goal shouldn’t be perfection, but progress that’s realistic, visible andmeaningful that packaging directly impacts compliance, reputation and commercial resilience,” Rebecca adds. “Poor packaging choices can lead to higher disposal costs, supply disruption, or reputational damage, while well-considered decisions can reduce risk, improve efficiency and support long-term growth.” For food businesses in particular, “packaging is also a highly visible signal of values. It is often the first physical touchpoint a customer has with a brand, quietly communicating whether sustainability is being taken seriously or treated as a touch point.” Evolution within the industry has been transformational, Rebecca continues – reaching beyond earlymaterial swaps, and with data-led solutions considering the full lifecycle, from sourcing and manufacturing, to transport efficiency and end-of-life disposal, with a strong shift towards simplifications and standardisation, to helpmake improvements at scale. The future of packaging will be defined less by novelty, andmore by intelligent design and accountability, thinks Rebecca. “While innovation inmaterials will continue, equal importance will be placed on integration with waste systems, clearer labelling, and stronger supply chain transparency. One of the most exciting developments is the move towards packaging optimisation – reducingmaterial use altogether, PARTNER CONTENT A FORCE FOR BETTER A pioneer in sustainable agriculture, The Garlic Farm is on a valuable journey towards a healthier future for us all workplace the opportunity to be part of our team.” The local community is welcomed into the fold, too – children are educated about their local landscape in an invaluable way. “Providing free access to farmland throughout the year as well as free school visits for Island primary schools and regular work experience for our local special-needs school students helps us to engage young people in nature and farming,” explains Natasha. Further exciting plans are afoot to create new connections between The Garlic Farm’s land and its growing community. “This year, we are embarking on a new market garden project next to our restaurant. The market garden will supply the restaurant with organic ingredients as well as providing a unique opportunity for customers, schools and groups to learn about growing healthy food.” As one of only 24 businesses in the UK to have been awarded a 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, The Garlic Farmare leading the charge towards a healthier, more connected world. 01983 865378 enquiries@thegarlicfarm.co.uk thegarlicfarm.co.uk B Corp-certified business The Garlic Farm has a vision to create a better, healthier world one step at a time. “Our vision at The Garlic Farm is to deliver health and happiness and restorative land use through garlic in a thriving business,” begins Natasha Edwards, managing director at The Garlic Farm. This is nomere box-ticking exercise. Instead, the entire team is passionate about constantly makingmeaningful, measurable change for the good of the land and the people who rely upon it – “We see ourselves as custodians of the land and business for future generations of our family and our community,” she explains. The Garlic Farm’s sustainability efforts are varied and certified; its farmland is certified organic by The Soil Association, while its livestock is certified Pasture for Life. “We invest in landmanagement practices that actively support nature, carbon sequestration, water quality, soil health, biodiversity and animal health,” Natasha continues. “As a farming business, we can have significant impact in these areas.” Human health and happiness are as vital to The Garlic Farm’s work as environmental causes, she says. “In terms of social impact, our focus has been on teamwellbeing, community engagement and support for local causes. We offer paid volunteering opportunities for all teammembers, support local charities with donations and fundraising events and we have a unique ‘buddy scheme’ allowing those needing extra help in the We see ourselves as custodians of the land and business for future generations of our family and our community and designing packaging that works seamlessly within existing recycling and composting infrastructure.” New food solutions Global food insecurity is no longer a peripheral issue – it’s mainstream news. We’ve all seen the headlines around failed olive, cocoa, coffee and salad crops. Action is imperative worldwide to find solutions, strengthen supply chains and work in more planet-friendly ways. And there are many folk behind the scenes moving those cogs. One is Agronomics, a venture capitalist firmat the forefront of the clean food sector. Executive chairman, JimMellon, says, “Conventional agriculture cannot, and should not, shoulder this burden alone. That’s where cultivated foods and precision fermentation present a viable solution to this growing issue. What once seemed impossible is now becoming a reality: meat, fish, eggs, cheese, oils, fats and even cacao and coffee can all be produced in newways – grown, for example, in bioreactors, rather than in fields.” Jim thinks such innovations could shorten supply chains, reduce emissions, ease pressure on land and water, guard against livestock diseases, and support famers in regenerating soils and restoring ecosystems, all while continuing to meet consumer demand. “The promise of this sector is fast becoming a reality. But for clean food to have its biggest impact, the sector needs to scale,” he adds. “Whichmeans continued education, investment and support from governments and industry. The choice in 2026 is clear: treat food shocks as a new normal, or use them as the catalyst to build a cleaner, smarter, andmore secure food system.”