We Won Food Manufacture Excellence Awards!
Everyone here at the farm has been celebrating with Rich Clothier, our truly brilliant Managing Director and 3rd generation family member, since he was announced as the WINNER of the ‘Business Leader of the Year’ category at this year’s Food Manufacture Awards!
The ‘Excellence Awards’ recognise excellence across the UK food and drink manufacturing industry. They shine a light on the best operators, the best people and the best factories up and down the country. They’ve be running for 20 years now, and we think now is the perfect time for Rich’s achievements to have been celebrated. We’ve been lucky enough to have Rich as our MD since 2004 and in that time, he has grown the company by over 10% every year, as well as extended availability of our award-winning cheddar to over 160 countries world-wide.
All the while, Rich has been working with the greatest of respect for Somerset, our home. And nature, our environment. 100% Green has been the brainchild of Rich who has led us to become the first UK grocery brand to be 100% self-sufficient in self-generated green gas and electricity. A reminder of some of the practical changes that we have implemented with great thanks to Rich and his foresight and leadership:
- We now produce all their own electricity and gas from renewable sources. Including Solar, Anaerobic digestion, Generators powered by Biomethane, and Green Gas produced on the farm from dairy and local waste streams.
- Injecting 20,000 cubic metres of green gas to the local grid, produced from renewable sources.
- Recovering heat in all areas of production.
- Using energy efficient soft start motors and inverters wherever possible.
- Recovering 90% of the water that used on site through membranes reducing water stress caused by drawing off boreholes.
- Zero to landfill across all operations.
- Working to reduce scope 3 emissions with supplier farmers.
- The Wyke Farms 5 Pillar Scheme, launched in summer 2021, the first incentive programme of its type; designed to encourage and financially reward dairy farmers who show evidence of on-farm sustainable practise. The ‘Net Positive Farming’ initiative and is open to all suppliers.
- Arranging visits from local schools to the company’s visitor centre at the renewable energy site. Over 5000 children have been welcomed so far.
Congratulations Rich, we are very proud!
February 2023
