It’s no secret that what we eat and drink has a huge environmental impact. According to research, such as this study published in the journal Science, food production – and by this, we mean production, processing and distribution, as well as consumption – accounts for around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The good news is that reducing our food and drink-related impact is simpler than you might think, and making small tweaks to our diets can add up, resulting in real change for the planet. It’s not just about eating more plants, either – although there's no denying that that can be a great place to start.
The WWF advises a multi-pronged approach, you see, which includes reducing your food waste, diversifying your diet, and moving to a more (but not necessarily exclusively) plant-based way of eating, as well as choosing more sustainable items to purchase and consume.
Keen to learn more about making more sustainable food choices? Keep scrolling. Below, we share the nine genuinely sustainable food brands to know about right now. Congratulations to each and every one of our Marie Claire Sustainability Awards 2024 Food & Drink winners and the worthy runners up.
Meet the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards Food & Drink winners for 2024
1. Alcohol - spirit
WINNER: Anaë Gin
Who? Premium French organic gin brand Anaë Gin was founded in 2021 by Pauline Raffaitin. It produces 100% organic, vegan gin using French grapes, with links to renowned champagne house Bollinger.
Why? Anaë Gin is rightly proud of its sustainability credentials. In addition to following set target reductions for energy and waste, the brand is committed to carbon offsetting and empowering local communities. And its dedication to sustainability extends to all areas of its product – from the gin itself to a 100% recyclable bottle and French cork stopper.
“This is a brand that has worked tirelessly to reduce its environmental impact across production, packaging and workforce, from working only with small independent French producers to its 100% infinitely recycled bottles,” says Marie Claire UK editor and Sustainability Awards judge Sunil Makan. “It has done this while keeping the high integrity of the product.”
“An incredible brand, Anaë Gin has covered all areas of sustainability and ethical trade,” notes fellow judge, Marie Claire UK sustainability editor Ally Head. “I would feel fully confident as a customer that this brand is actively practicing what it preaches here. In addition, the case study of the decomposing products was fantastic.
“The honesty of its findings was also refreshing as its team talks through what has been changed to make it fully compostable and what they know they need to do in the future,” she adds. “It’s both Lenzing and GOTS [textiles] certified, and uses natural rubber for elastic and OEKO-TEX certified metal. I feel the customer communication here is great.”
2. Drink brand
WINNER: Yogi Tea
Who? For more than 50 years, Yogi Tea has been creating herbal teas based on the ancient, holistic practice of Ayurveda. The brand has over 50 blends, from sweet, soothing Chai to green and black varieties.
Why? A solid commitment to sustainability shines through the brand – compostable tea bags, climate-neutral shipping and 100% FSC packaging are a given – and it’s rightly proud of its B Corp certification.
“Yogi Tea is highly sustainable, achieving 92% supply chain transparency, carbon neutrality, and innovative packaging solutions while promoting regenerative agriculture and ethical labour practices,” says vegan chef and author Bettina Campolucci Bordi. “Its comprehensive efforts include environmental education, community empowerment, and certifications like B Corp and FairTrade.”
“Yogi Tea stands as a great example to aspiring net neutral or regenerative companies on how to grow and mature in not only a sustainable way, but how to do more and be a good community citizen as well,” adds Alexandra Dawe of the Rainforest Alliance. “Through its foundation, it obviously funds some interesting community-based projects that go beyond the supply-chain relationship they have with the producers. It also sources ingredients from internationally recognised standards. The fact that its traceability is so mature, but it is still looking for ways to do more is to be encouraged.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: NEO WTR
3. Food brand
WINNER: Tilda
Who? Founded in 1970 in response to the rise in immigration in Britain, rice brand Tilda has been a popular household name ever since.
Why? The first B Corp-certified rice producer in the UK, Tilda is committed to ecological, environmental and economic sustainability. Its key values of respect, community, productivity and ownership ensure the brand is continually working towards improvements, while all its suppliers must adhere to Ebro Foods’ (Tilda’s parent company) Code of Conduct.
“Tilda is a highly sustainable business that tracks and sets reduction targets for water, waste, energy and GHG emissions, promotes a transparent supply chain, and supports regenerative agriculture,” notes Campolucci Bordi. “The company ensures ethical and environmental practices through comprehensive supplier codes, uses 100% renewable electricity, and actively engages in community and employee initiatives to foster sustainability and wellbeing, with an aim to achieve net zero emissions.”
Our Sustainability Awards partner Seismic was similarly impressed by the brand’s clear vision. “As a beloved household brand, Tilda’s innovative farming practices are poised to influence the rice growing sector at large,” says Seismic co-founder Amy Bourbeau. “Its use of alternate wet dry (AWD) rice farming together with integrated natural pest management methods have great benefits for its stakeholders, from increased margins and income for farmers, to reducing methane gas emissions by up to 50%.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pip & Nut
4. Small Business
WINNER: nibs etc.
Who? nibs etc. was formed in 2018 by self-proclaimed snack obsessive Chloë Stewart. The brand creates innovative, nutritious and tasty snacks using food-waste by-products – namely, the pulp left over from juicing fruit and vegetables.
Why? With food waste responsible for 8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, nibs etc. is paving the way for creating truly useable solutions to upcycling leftovers.
“nibs etc. is taking strides to eliminate food waste within day-to-day snacking, and I applaud it for working directly with its manufacturers, being smart with its use of waste by-products, and local sourcing,” says Head.
Marie Claire UK news and features editor Mischa Smith agrees: “The UK’s first upcycled snack brand, female-owned nibs etc. aims to turn manufacturing by-products into snacks that are healthy and resourceful.”
5. Sustainable Restaurant
WINNER: Riverhouse Restaurant
Who? Located in a boutique hotel on the banks of the River Thames in the leafy London suburb of Richmond, Riverhouse Restaurant has a focus on sustainability and zero-waste cooking.
Why? Riverhouse Restaurant is proud to say it has sustainability at the heart of everything it does. Prioritising local, organic and seasonal ingredients, the restaurant is working towards becoming a Net Positive Hospitality business within the next five years.
“I think Riverhouse’s 360 approach to sustainability and lowering its carbon footprint should be applauded,” says Head. “From reducing its water usage, to being mindful and innovative with food waste and local suppliers, to tracking energy, it is addressing sustainability in all areas of its business.”
“Riverhouse Restaurant has evidenced its dedication to a more sustainable and ethical hospitality sector. From eradicating straws and cutting down on single-use plastics to more ambitious projects like reducing water intensity, it is taking steps in the right direction across multiple touchpoints,” adds Smith.
6. Wine Producer
WINNER: La Crema
Who? Founded in 1979, California-based La Crema is a family-owned winery producing sustainable luxury wines at scale from grapes grown across California and Oregon.
Why? The winery is committed to halving its carbon emissions alongside implementing targets for water conservation and also transitioning 100% of its estate vineyards to regenerative farming practices. Having identified its packaging to be responsible for its largest carbon emissions, it transitioned to using 50% recycled glass material and lowered its bottle weight by 11%, reducing glass emissions.
A unique Tesla stationary battery system reduces the winery’s electricity use during peak times, while its rainwater catchment system saves over half-a-million gallons of rainwater every year. The site even has its own sheep and chickens grazing across the vineyard, operating as natural pest control, weed eaters, organic matter producers, and topsoil aerators.
60% of the estate vineyard properties are left unplanted to allow natural habitats to thrive, and allow the vines to become part of the land’s biodiversity ecosystem.
“This is a company that is truly innovative and committed to protecting energy, land and water resources for the long term without compromising on excellence,” says Marie Claire UK editor-in-chief Andrea Thompson.
“It’s great to see La Crema running its business in a forward-thinking and innovative way,” agrees Head. “Wine growing and winemaking can produce a lot of waste, so its commitment to using cutting-edge practices to protect land, energy and water should be applauded. Its work on regenerative farming, carbon sequestration and solar power generation is also impressive.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Canned Wine Co.
Marie Claire UK has determined the award winners in accordance with the judging criteria and with the information provided by the entrants. All information provided by the winning brands is published in good faith.
