The Source Bulk Foods
Interview and Photography by Dunja Opalko
‘The Source Bulk Foods’ opened their doors on West End Lane in London this autumn. Stocking a vast variety of foods, drinks, cosmetics and more in a sustainable way.
We chat with Alessandro about the core values and importance of sustainability.
Tell us a bit about yourself and why you started the company. I have always wanted to start my own business and have been actively looking for a sustainable concept that solves or at least attempts to mitigate the negative environmental effects that humans are having on the planet. When I came across The Source Bulk Foods I instantly fell in love and understood what it was trying to solve.
What is the ethos behind the brand? The Source Bulk Foods is centered around community. More than just plastic free shopping, we strive to build a family of regular customers who will go on to encourage others to re-think the way we all shop. Understanding how we reuse and recycle as well as how products are sourced are they key to this.
What is the advantage of buying in bulk and recycling containers for the customer and for the environment? Buying in bulk and recycling containers means eliminating unnecessary waste of both packaging and food. When you buy from SBF, you can buy as little or as much as you need. If you need a specific amount of a special ingredient for a specific recipe you don’t have to buy a 500g bag and let the rest go to waste. We encourage the reuse of containers which immediately eliminates the need for unnecessary plastic packing which is devastating our natural environment.
What’s the most unusual product you sell? Customers are generally amazed at the selection we have on offer, I would say the most unusual product is probably Baobab powder and toothpaste tablets.
‘The Source Bulk Foods is centered around community. More than just plastic free shopping, we strive to build a family of regular customers who will go on to encourage others to re-think the way we all shop.’
What else do you sell in bulk apart from food? We sell household cleaning products such as laundry liquid and multipurpose cleaner, personal care products such as soaps, shampoos and body wash. We like to enable customers to live a more environmentally friendly life with products like soap tins, meal tins, guppy bags, bamboo make-up pads to name a few.
What are your top tips on how to go plastic free easily? One needs to be conscious, take notice and make the small changes. We have become so used to convenience that we need to dial it back and make the effort, not using straws, having a portable coffee cup on hand, taking bags to the store, shopping at stores like The Source Bulk Foods and others that are trying to eliminate waste, these are small changes we can make in our daily lives.
What’s your favourite dish for a cold autumnal day? Lately I have been enjoying our ‘Dahl in a Dash’ that we pre-make in store, given my Italian heritage pasta is always a feature and have also taken to our red lentil penne with my Nonna’s Napolitana Sauce.
Do you have any exciting plans for the future? I am loving the fact that I can give people the option to shop plastic free and in a sustainable way. I have my eye on a few more North London suburbs and bringing the goodness of SBF to them.
Visit The Source Bulk Foods for more and follow here
The Source Bulk Foods West Hampstead | Zero Waste Shop
276 W End Ln
London
NW6 1LJ
