Independent businesses across Wales are getting creative in a bid to address the environmental impact of the Welsh food and drink industry.

Embracing innovation, sustainability, and the circular economy, Welsh food and drink businesses are taking significant – and quirky – steps towards a greener future.

The businesses, which were selected to receive funding from Welsh Government’s Decarbonisation and Covid Recovery Challenge Fund, are now shining the spotlight on some of Wales’s finest – and not-so-traditional – produce as they innovate new, low-carbon products and reduce waste.

Focusing on alternative ingredients with lower carbon footprints, many of the participating businesses are also collaborating with local farmers and producers to source sustainable, locally grown ingredients that promote biodiversity and embrace the circular economy.

Pembrokeshire-based Bug Farm Foods has developed chocolate chip cricket cookies (each cookie contains 20 powdered Welsh-farmed crickets) and protein-packed cricket powder that can be added to recipes, smoothies, and shakes.

“From our base in wild West Wales, our aim is to bring sustainable and delicious food,” says Dr Sarah Beynon of Bug Farm Foods. “We needed to diversify the business… We needed a shelf ready product and we needed to support the UK edible insect and insect farming industry. So, we wanted to create products using insects farmed in the UK.”

More than just a gimmick, these new Welsh innovations are nutritious, low carbon, and are environmentally sustainable.

Another Pembrokeshire-based business committed to more environmentally conscious practices is Câr y Mor – and they are also putting seaweed on the breakfast table. The community-owned business advocates regenerative ocean farming – using zero fertilisers, pesticides, or fresh water to grow their seaweed and shellfish. Alongside their more traditional local products (Welsh lobster, Pembrokeshire crab, Menai oysters) are seaweed granola, seaweed-infused sauces, and a range of nutritious dried seaweeds.

Alcohol-free craft beer is also having a bit of a moment. But Cardiff-based The Functional Brew Company is taking it one step further. Their award-winning alcohol-free craft beers are made with functional mushrooms that are known to recover, restore, and repair.

“We brew alcohol free craft beer with functional mushrooms – also known as medicinal mushrooms,” says Zoey Henderson of the Functional Brew Company. “They have different health benefits that go beyond just the good nutrition of regular mushrooms.”

Although the beers don’t taste like mushrooms, they aim to promote positive wellness. As an added feel-good bonus, the pending B Corp business also puts sustainable, carbon-efficient brewing and products at the heart of the business. They also champion the circular economy in Wales to create a more robust, sustainable supply chain.

Stone Circle Mead Company is also putting a healthy ingredient at the heart of their product. Promoting the health and wellbeing benefits of Welsh honey, the meadery is committed to reimagining Welsh mead for today’s market. With flavours ranging from spiced honey mead to honey and apple, the Wrexham-based business is not only putting mead back on the menu, but they are also investing heavily into research to boost Welsh honey farming and to raise awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of Welsh honey.

Although cricket cookies, seaweed breakfasts, mushroom beers, and a revival of a honey-based drink may seem novel, these businesses are committed to driving environmentally friendly practices within the Welsh food and drink sector. As they continue to pioneer innovative approaches to sustainability, supported by Welsh Government’s Decarbonisation and Covid Recovery Challenge Fund, they are not only contributing to the Welsh economy, but are championing a greener, more sustainable future for the Welsh food and drink industry.