Cakes+co is a real gem of a place. Nestled into a corner of Stamford Walk, it may look unassuming, but step inside and you’re treated to some of the most beautiful and delicious cakes around. Not only that, Cakes+co are also flying the flag for plastic free, sustainable business practices. What’s not to love?
The cakery recently became one of Stamford’s growing number of Plastic Free Champions by removing unnecessary single use plastic from their shop and café. We caught up with them to find out a bit more about their plastic free journey.
As owner and baker, Stewart West explains, “Going plastic free was not only important to us personally, but our business model was always going to be one that put sustainability and earth kind measures first.”
The changes have seen them minimise their need for single use plastics, now only serving drinks in glasses, cans or paper cartons and using compostable take away coffee cups and lids (made with compostable bioplastic derived from plant sugars from reclaimed sugarcane). They use paper bags and card boxes and even have their own organic growing garden for healthy, seasonal produce and edible flowers, where there is no need for any packaging at all.
And their efforts have not gone unnoticed. “We know that our lovely customers in Stamford really appreciate and support our ethos. We have had many suggestions as well as plenty of encouragement along our plastic free journey,” explains Stewart. And this has undoubtedly given them the motivation to continue to make changes to improve the way they do things. They are now constantly reviewing the materials and produce they use, looking out for plastic free suppliers and inspiring customers to reduce, reuse and recycle as well.
As a local Plastic Free Champion, they also have a couple of tips for other businesses looking to reduce their single use plastic. First up, do an audit of the materials and products you use and plan just one or two changes, so that the shift doesn’t seem overwhelming. It’s about being realistic and then getting into the swing of it. But importantly, they recommend telling people around you what you’re doing so that they can support you and keep you motivated.
“As ethical traders it is our duty to look to reduce the use of plastics wherever possible. Take a look at what plastics you use and see if there are alternatives, make one change, then another. Sometimes the cost of going plastic free can seem ‘expensive’ especially to small independent businesses and it is, but what’s the true price of not making the change? We have a planet to protect for now and for everyone’s future.” Stewart, we could not have put it better ourselves.