Bristol’s award-winning organic food stores The Better Food Company have been short listed in the Observer Ethical Awards, it was revealed on Thursday…
The winner is due to be announced on 10th June at a ceremony attended by a host of celebrities and pioneering business people.
Among this year’s panel of judges are Professor Brian Cox OBE, OSCAR-winning actor Colin Firth, and Riverford Organic founder Guy Watson.
The Better Food Company is one of three shops nominated in the category Best Local Retailer. The other nominees are London’s The People’s Supermarket and Manchester’s Unicorn Wholefood Co-operative.
“Of course it would be great to win”, says The Better Food Company’s MD Phil Haughton, “but to be honest, being among such worthy contenders is amazing in itself…”
Phil continues “We’ve made it our mission to be bold and proud of what we stand for. Our two shops and cafe employ about 60 local people and we support about 70 local businesses, farmers and producers by selling their goods to the people of Bristol. Small independent retailers like us shouldn’t be underestimated!”
The Better Food Company owns a large shop and café in St Werburghs and a food hall and deli in Clifton.
The St Werburghs store is now in its 9th year. Both shops are about 90% organic, and specialise in selling locally produced goods. It has also been at the heart of launching a Community Supported Agriculture venture in the nearby Chew Valley – The Community Farm, whose produce is sold in the shops.
Phil is an active trustee of the Soil Association, and has spent more than 25 years working with organic food and farming in the South West.