International Women’s Day 2024

Written on March 4th, 2024

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, cultural, political and economic achievements of women.

We’re proud to work with a number of female-led suppliers —find out more and be inspired!

Nc’nean Distillery

Nc’nean is an independent, organic whisky distillery on the west coast of Scotland which exists to create experimental spirits and pioneer sustainable production. The distillery was founded in 2013 by Annabel Thomas, who left her job in London to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland.

They were the first distillery in the UK to be verified as Net Zero carbon emissions within their own operations (Scopes 1 and 2), Nc’nean’s whisky leaves a big impression with the smallest footprint. Every bottle uses only organic Scottish barley, is made in a 100% renewably powered distillery and even bottled in a 100% recycled glass bottle.  In 2022 Nc’nean became just the second Scotch whisky to receive its B Corp certification, joining a growing number of businesses meeting rigorous social and environmental standards.

The first bottle of Nc’nean’s inaugural release sold for a record breaking £41,004 at auction, while the auction raised £92,000 in total which was donated across 5 charities supporting sustainability, the local Morvern Community trust, and the UK hospitality industry. Each year Nc’nean contributes 1% of its profits to charity. A further £7,510 was raised in 2023 by the auction of more bottles from Nc’nean’s first release, with the proceeds supporting three wonderful charities (Client Earth, The DEC appeal for the Turkey-Syria earthquake, The Morvern Community Trust).

Nc’nean have achieved various awards including the Great Taste 2023 Gold and Icons of Whisky Scotland Craft Producer of the Year 2023 most recently.

Available in selected stores:

Organic single malt Scotch whisky (46% abv / 70cl / non-chill filtered / natural colour / vegan friendly / gluten free) – The organic single malt Scotch whisky is smooth and elegant with flavours of citrus, peach, apricot and spice. Matured in specially treated red wine and American whiskey barrels, alongside a small amount of sherry casks which develops the spirits signature body and sweetness.

Seep

Seep was started by eco-conscious mum-of-two Laura in 2020. Whilst doing the weekly shop Laura noticed that when it came to cleaning tools like sponges and cloths, there was a lack of plastic free and sustainable options to choose from. With a dream to create a cleaning brand of sustainable, eco-friendly products, Seep was born. Their products are 100% plastic free that break down into non-harmful waste, making everyday essentials kinder to the planet..

Founder Laura said, “we are one of the highest scoring B Corporations which is the gold standard for sustainable businesses. We track our carbon footprint by product and offset this with an amazing reforestation charity called On A Mission who back projects around the world that support local livelihoods and biodiversity too. We also donate our products to local charities like The Hygiene Bank and Food cycle.”

Seep’s mission is to stop 1 billion plastic cleaning tools going to landfill by 2030. In January this year the brand won ‘Sustainable Startup of the year’ in the Startups 100 and also won the 2024 ‘Eco Cleaning Brand of the Year’ in the Country and Townhouse Awards.

Laura continued, “we are founded, owned and run by women. We carry out lots of testing and request feedback from our customers with 95% of them stating our products work just as well, if not better than traditional products! This shows that going eco doesn’t mean you need to compromise on performance.”

We are delighted to have their items in our stores and wish Laura all the success for the future!

You’ll find Seep on our shelves:

Seep Eco Sponger Scourer – Made of Cellulose wood pulp and loofah fibre.

Seep Eco All Purpose Cloth – Perfect for cleaning spills, this cloth is made of 70% Wood pulp, 30% Cotton.

Seep Eco Rubber Gloves Medium and Large – Perfect for protecting your hands, these gloves are made from natural rubber and cotton-flocked lined for extra comfort.

Seep Eco Bin Liners Compostable – These high quality bin liners are made from plant-based bio-polymer Mater Bi™️ and break down into harmless organic waste.

Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherds Purse Cheeses began 35 years ago when Judy Bell set out on a mission to create quality, tasty alternatives for those who suffered from cow’s milk allergies. Judy discovered that ewe’s milk was a delicious alternative for cow’s milk and she set about researching different breeds of sheep and experimenting with a variety of traditional methods of artisan cheese making. Judy even purchased her own flock of milking sheep to ensure a quality supply of ewe’s milk.

The brand officially launched at the Great Yorkshire Show in 1989 with the cheeses Olde York, Yorkshire Feta (now known as Mrs. Bell’s Salad Cheese) and a ewe’s milk Wensleydale. In the summer that year, Shepherds Purse went on to win the first of many awards at Nantwich International Cheese Show with a gold medal for Olde York!

Over the years, the artisan cheese company continued growing with various innovative cheeses added to their range. In 1995 Judy brought blue cheese making back to Yorkshire by developing the iconic Yorkshire Blue with her eldest son Justin and in 1997, Judy’s eldest daughter Katie returned to the family business to master the art of cheesemaking.

In 2012, Shepherd’s Purse reached a new milestone as Judy handed over the reins to daughters Katie and Caroline, who went on develop and launch the Harrogate Blue cheese in summer of 2012. While there may have been obstacles to overcome over the years, their passion for making and enjoying delicious cheese remains strong.

The team now comprise of 30 members still based on the family farm in North Yorkshire, led by Katie and Caroline. Each year over 250 tonnes of specialist cheese are produced, serving restaurants and shops across the UK and beyond. Each cheese is hand wrapped and the blue cheeses are wrapped in foil, which is not only recyclable but also helps to maintain the quality of the cheese through its life.

Their list of awards continues to grow with them most recently achieving the 2023 Champion Overall Product at the Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards with Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese.

We are delighted to stock their tasty cheeses in our stores.

Pop into your local store to find the perfect Shepherds Purse Cheese for you:

Cows Milk Cheeses

Yorkshire Blue — Creamy, mellow and mild, made with milk from Yorkshire Cows.

Harrogate Blue — Our golden-bodied blue-vein cheese is creamy and rich with a hint of pepper on the end.

Northern Blue — Creamy steely and sweet, this aged blue cheese is rich creamy and well balanced.

Bluemin White — Blue mould ripened truckle, mellow creamy unique cheese, excellent and versatile for pairing with different wines, beers and accompaniments

Water Buffalo milk cheese

Buffalo Blue — This rare cheese is made with milk from Italian water Buffalo which gives it a distinct rich creamy texture.

Ewe’s Milk Cheeses

Mrs Bell’s Blue — Exquisite ewe’s milk blue cheese, milder than a Roquefort but with the same complexity.

Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese — The meadowy sweetness of the sheep milk contrasts with delicate lemony notes to make this salad cheese a favourite.