Organic Insights Magazine - Spring 2023

Organic Insights / Spring 2023 / 7

Local, fresh, organic, sustainable FOODLAND SETS THE BENCHMARK IN PROGRESSIVE RETAILING

Brian is also looking at ways to further ‘productise’ food that is being currently lost or wasted along the supply chain, for sale in store; as well as promoting good practice in the home. “We ran an initiative in store, for example, of making passata from organic tomatoes from Eldridge Farms,” he says [The event included a guest appearance from our own food contributor, Mandy Hall]. “Tomatoes are a fresh produce item that is in over-supply seasonally and when we have more of something than we can use it can often go to waste, and if we sauce them, it doesn’t. It was a lot of fun, and it got lots of people talking about the passata recipes that they have.” Brian is working with Tandem Energy to ensure that energy requirements across stores are met with 100% renewable sources, as well as educating staff on behaviours to conserve energy and water use. “Part of my role is educating our staff, which can be difficult with 600 employees across the

group, and with a highly casualised workforce,” says Brian. Adelaide’s Finest Supermarkets has been well ahead of the State Government’s plastics ban [see Breakout] and has a target to ensure that all in-store packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable. The retailer was the first to introduce fully compostable fresh fruit and vegetable bags in 2020. “We’ve also introduced some exciting new products that support a circular economy,” says Brian. “We’ve also sourced a range of homewares, for example, from a small manufacturer in Robe [transmutation]. It’s the only example of product made from 100% repurposed expanded polystyrene.” Brian aims to increase activations with consumers, with in-store tours and restaurant experiences providing a platform for education on sustainable practices.

/ Continued on page 8