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March 2020 is B Corp Month!

B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of social & environmental performance. Together, B Corps are working to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy for people and the planet. You can read more about this here.

To celebrate B Corp Month, Cotswold Fayre and Heart in Business, both B Corps, are sharing in this article about their B Corp journey.  The two companies have been working together for many years. Amanda Joseph is the Credit Controller at Cotswold Fayre, and Hannah Fisher is the Digital Officer at Heart in Business.

Firstly, Amanda:

Please can you tell us - WHAT IS A B-CORP?

Amanda:
I would describe a B Corp as certified business across the globe that uses business as a force for good. B Corps meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. A B Corp does not just exist for profit but the planet and people around us. I believe if you have the right people in your business and work towards making the planet a better planet then the profit will come. Its all about the triple bottom line. For me, I feel Cotswold Fayre is a perfect example of a company that is using business as a force for good. Within the company we have People, Environment and Community teams whose focus is to ensure the company is making the changes needed and striving for better - this has made a huge difference to what Cotswold Fayre has become. I am the leader of our People group and have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the changes we have made, which have impacted every single employee in a positive way. It makes you optimistic to see what the future holds.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A CERTIFIED B CORPORATION?

Amanda:
The main reason we decided to become a B Corp was to ultimately make the world a better place. I spoke to our CEO Paul Hargreaves to gain more information on his inspiration to certify Cotswold Fayre as a B Corp. What he told me was that he used to think that he was one of the only people that believed that business should not just be about profit, but it should be used to make the world a better plac

This week Paul looks at how looking after yourself and taking time out can benefit your business.

This week Paul talks about generosity and how giving more to your employees can benefit the business.

Soft drinks are on the rise. 

There are so many trends for this category which reflect wider trends surrounding healthy lifestyles and environmental impact. With sales in this category increasing and spring right around the corner, now is the perfect time to change up the shelves with these refreshing drinks.

As millennials seem to be reducing their alcohol intake, low-alcohol and alcohol-free options are becoming more prevalent. ‘Grown-up’ soft drinks like Dalston’s are also becoming more popular with people looking for drink alternatives that don’t mimic an alcoholic beverage to have at the end of the day. There is also the introduction of CBD, which many manufactures are infusing in to their drinks in order to offer a different kind of hit. We’ve just taken on Trip which uses 15mg of CBD oil in every 250ml can. This is being faced with issues with regulation, but this concept is still in its infancy.

Health conscious individuals are looking for an easy way to keep tabs on their gut health and Kombucha is key for this trend at the moment. This fermented tea-based drink has been gaining popularity with is ability to supply good bacteria to the immune system. Its naturally low in sugar companies such as Lo Bros infuse it with additional natural flavours that bring their own benefits too.

Following consumer demand, many retailers are looking to stock more sustainable options which means trying to find replacements for soft drinks sold in plastic bottles. This may mean switching to drinks in cans or glass bottles, using existing suppliers or new brands like Dash, to help do their bit to reduce single-use plastics. Coca Cola recently announced that it would not stop producing their drinks in plastic bottles as consumers still want this option, but it is making moves to use more recycled materials for their packaging.

Top 10 Soft Drink lines September2019-February2020 

1. FEN330 – Fentimans – Traditional Ginger Beer
2. BEV500 – Belvoir – Elderflower Cordial
3. MET19 – Folkington’s – Orange Juice
4. EAG03 – Eager Drinks – 100% Squeezed Smooth Orange Juice

Paul looks at whether being a leader can mean still being humble.

Paul looks at competitiveness and how being kinder in business can lead to performing better.

January means New Year’s Resolutions, which I am rubbish at keeping, but for many it’s an opportunity to make some changes to their lifestyle choices. Since its launch in 2014 Veganuary has been steadily growing in popularity. Some people see it as a challenge to test themselves, others might use it as a bit of a detox after the over consumption of the festive period, some might be using it as a springboard to cut down their meat consumption and start eating more sustainably. It has been reported that 42% of people taking part are doing it for health reasons but environmental concerns and ethical reasons were also big factors.

Here in the office, whilst no one has been strictly following Veganuary, there has been a big conscious effort to cut down on meat consumption. Most of us describe ourselves as ‘Flexitarians’ who still consume meat but balance this out with plenty of plant-based options.

Our Marketing Manager, Ashton, did take on the challenge to do a ‘veggie week’ so I spoke to her about why she did it, and what impact it had on her.

“I would describe myself as a flexitarian with a healthy balanced diet with no allergies or intolerances, and I eat a varied diet. Following a Netflix documentary, ‘Game Changers’ my partner (Ady) and I were keen to try how a vegetarian diet, not only to reduce our impact on the planet but to increase our athletic performance; I’m a hockey player and Ady is a rugby player currently training for the Reading half marathon.

Before, we didn’t eat meat in every meal, but we were having it at least once every day, so we armed ourselves with a trolley full of veg. Ady is a keen cook and looked forward to experimenting with recipes and we had some fabulous dinners; Butternut Squash Thai Curry was one of my favourites.

Within a couple of days of eating more cleanly we were feeling great, not sluggish, bloated or dissatisfied. The longer time went on, the more exercise we could do, and this positive response made us forget that we even may want meat, or alcohol for that matter. The following week, we introduced chicken into a stir-fry, and we didn’t feel like it added anything, so on we went with our veggie experiment. By the end of 10 days we had also lost more than half a stone each!

We have reintroduced meat into our diet to enjoy as a treat at the weekend (after sport) but apart from that, we are still watching and enjoying the goodness we’re putting in our bodies to improve our athletic performance but also feeling great and losing weight as a result.” 

It is now easier than ever to choose a vegan option for lunch or dinner. After last year’s vegan sausage roll rom Greggs hit the headlines, they have expanded the range with a ‘vegan steak bake’, made using Quorn. But Greggs aren’t the only ones who have answered consumer demand some of the other fast food giants ha

Here at Cotswold Fayre, when we see an interesting food trend, we are desperate to try it out and see what all the fuss is about.

Bulletproof coffee hit the mainstream as a breakfast alternative designed for the Keto Diet. It’s a high calorie caffeine boost designed to start the day and keep you going until lunchtime, although there are mixed thoughts on the health benefits.

It was my partner that alerted me to ‘Bulletproof Coffee’, he’s a coffee fiend we tried it out one morning at home to great success! Being an office fuelled by caffeine I knew we had to bring the idea in to work see what everyone else thought, and what better to try it out with than one of our newest chilled products: Moose Maple Butter.  

Ingredients:

• Coffee of your choice - but it works best with ground coffee or barista style instant coffee
• 1-2tsp of Moose Maple Butter

Method:

• Make your coffee and stir in the butter, simple! 

Our review:

Definite mixed views from the team! When trying this at home I loved it but it wasn’t quite the same second time round, but I’d try it again and perfect the quantities for my taste buds.

This week Paul looks at the distractions that can affect our lives and how we can use our time to concentrate on our purpose.

Confectionery is always a big category for retailers, consumers are always on the lookout for a quick sugar fix, a little treat or even a gift.

We try to keep a diverse mix of sweets, chocolates and sweet treats available throughout the year and expand our ranges to follow demand for Christmas as well as the Spring holidays. Traditional sweets and chocolate still in high demand with peppermint, nutty and fruity lines still popular but salted caramel is still the leading trend and it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. People are still health conscious when selecting confectionery, with dark chocolate gaining popularity over the last couple of years, and the prevalence of sugar free ranges from the big brands as well as the artisan ranges following consumer demand.

Top 10 confectionery lines for Convenience Stores Nov2019-Feb2020

1. TON05 - Tony’s Chocoloney – Fairtrade Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea salt
2. MOB40 - Monty Bojangles – Taste Adventure Selection
3. SUM01 - Summerdown Mint – Chocolate Mint Creams
4. DDU02 - RJ’s Liquorice – Soft Eating Natural Log
5. CHM90 - Natural Candy Shop – Jelly Beans
6. WCC54 - Willie’s Cacoa – Sea Flake Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt
7. MFH01 - Mighty Fine Honeycomb – Honeycomb Dipped in Milk Chocolate
8. PLU49 - Cotswold Fudge Company – Vegan Sea Salt Fudge
9. HAD21 - Hadji Bey’s – Gift Box of Rose Turkish Delight
10. BTM05 - Buttermik – Crunchy Peanut Brittle Sharing Box

Existing confectionery suppliers:

Barù

Black Liquorice Co.