Earth & Wheat wins Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2022

Thanks to our category sponsor

Sustainability should be more than just an ambition, and this award aims to highlight businesses and initiatives making the sector a more sustainable one.

Winner: Earth & Wheat

Earth & Wheat’s mission to reduce food waste at the point of production wowed our judges and won the brand the title of Sustainability Initiative of the Year.

The concept behind the brand, which was launched in March 2021 as the world’s first ‘wonky’ bread subscription service, is rescuing baked goods that would otherwise be binned due to their odd shape. The service is aimed at environmentally conscious consumers and families who subscribe to receive a next-day delivery box that contains a random mix of baked products – from wonky crumpets and pittas to pancakes and naan bread. 

Earth & Wheat has invested heavily in PR and digital marketing, including social media, to increase awareness about reducing food waste in general and raising the profile of the brand among consumers, as well as in the B2B media to promote the concept to independent bakeries.

After nine months, Earth & Wheat was able to expand its range with the launch of its vegan sweet and savoury ‘wonky’ broken biscuit box. At the time of entering, the brand reported over 500 tonnes of baked goods had been ‘rescued.’ 

Finalist: Jacksons Bakery – Bread for a Better World

In May 2021 Jacksons pledged to deliver on seven key sustainability targets. These comprised a reduction in emissions from transport and factories; a reduction in plastic packaging; traceability of ingredients; reduction of food waste; product labelling – helping consumer to make healthier and more sustainable choice; community support and finally, a real living wage.

It took a holistic approach, bringing a multi-function team together to tackle the multiple interlinked targets. The achievements are wide ranging, including a significant reduction in road miles per loaf; solar panels on the Corby bakery roof; increased vehicle capacity; a 24% year-on-year reduction in emissions; zero food waste and a 21% reduction in use of plastic saving 140 metric tonnes. “So impressive,” said the judges.

Finalist: Simply Doughnuts – company-wide waste reduction and resource efficiency

Simply Doughnuts conducted a top-to-bottom review in 2021-2022 to improve sustainability, transparency, accurate measurement, and ethical business practices. One of the notable outputs of the review included NPD work to extend the shelf life of its doughnuts to 34 days compared to the two days typical for doughnuts. 

One supermarket customer reported Simply Doughnut products had an average waste score of 0.5% vs the category average of 5% to 20%, and the WRAP industry average of 11% for fresh baked items. The company also reduced plastic used in packaging and in transit. “Strong figures and impressive results,” said the judges