Hot Topic

The Cookie Man, based in Esher, produces and supplies bakery products to large supermarket chains such as Sainsbury’s, Somerfields & Waitrose and was seeking to reduce cookie dough and cardboard waste to landfill

The Solution

The Cookie Man can now demonstrate notable quantities of food waste and cardboard diverted from landfill by using measures such as waste mnimisation, introduction of cardboard baling and food waste collections.

Their holistic approach to waste minimisation sees The Cookie Man working with the supply chain to reduce waste by ensuring that goods are not over-packaged when they arrive and the finished product does not leave over packaged.

The company now has plenty of other innovative ideas to reduce energy and water usage including:

• The introduction of energy efficient motors for our plant equipment
• Rainwater harvesting
• A hydro electric project
• Heat exchange and re-distribution between factory heating and the bakery ovens

The environmental ethos runs throughout the company and suggestions from the staff environmental task force are regularly implemented.

Key environmental information is distributed through environmental newsletters and displayed on their digital screen within the staff canteen.

All staff are trained in the company’s environmental procedures including non-english speakers, who receive translated material and a native speaker to demonstrate best practice.

The Bottom Line

Impressive financial savings in 18 months of running the recycling scheme are:

• 77K financial savings in landfill tax and disposal costs
• 750 tonnes of food and cardboard waste diverted from landfill
• Reduction of cardboard waste by 4.5% year

"The key to our success is the encouragement and support of our senior management team, allied to a committed and enthusiastic workforce who work extremely hard to ensure each of our projects are a success"

John Hadnum – The Cookie Man