FOOD
DRINKS
OTHER
THE ETHICAL BUTCHER
The Ethical Butcher was born when Glen Burrows, an ex-vegetarian of 25 years, met Farshad Kazemian, a meat trader wanting to make a positive impact with his business. Together they started this full carcass butchery, supplying regeneratively produced meats of the highest quality but the lowest impact.
Today, their small but growing team consists of many forward-thinking people with interesting life experiences who bring fresh thinking to the industry, such as an ex-environmental lawyer turned butcher, the former CEO of Vice Media, and the ex-Photo Director of Men’s Fitness magazine. All equally passionate about food and the environment, they’re excited to make a real difference to both the health and wellbeing of their customers and the landscape of the UK by encouraging more farmers to farm in nature-friendly, biodiverse, and regenerative ways.
The name was originally a working title, but it stuck. And the team are proud that it holds them accountable for their actions. They’re completely transparent about their supply chain and consider sustainability in each aspect of the business, from the staff contracts to transport and packaging, continuously reassessing the impact of all their suppliers. They’re even using a proportion of their profits to train more farmers in regenerative farming techniques.
Through this consistent and passionate work, The Ethical Butcher is educating customers in how to enjoy meat in a well balanced way and dispelling myths around the potential impact of meat production in the UK.
GUNG HO
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Sophie Dunster started Gung Ho to get people talking about important issues through the conversations we have about our wardrobes.
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She designed sustainable, adaptable clothing in her studio in a shipping container in Battersea until 2023 when the decision was made to cease production, amidst increased cost of living and production costs. Whilst in production, Gung Ho's fabrics were printed in Gloucestershire and each item made locally in London, supporting small businesses. Each design was based on colourful prints packed with meaning around a particular issue. And every piece a conversation starter - walking artworks to get people talking about their passions.
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We met Sophie during her 2019 Food for Thought campaign addressing the impact food has on our planet. Chantelle went to try something on and found out that Sophie was booked into Tredwells later that week. They became friends, joining forces to lead educational supper clubs. Since then, we’ve been lucky to have Sophie design and make the uniforms for Tredwells, All’s Well, and now Apricity.
Using sustainable fabrics, each Gung Ho item was cleverly designed to avoid waste during production. And by designing the clothing to be size-adjustable, Sophie was able to extend each garment's life cycle. Leftover fabric was used for smaller items and fed into Gung Ho Reworked – including one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and upcycled vintage garments.
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Gung Ho also challenged the way the fashion industry works by launching a bespoke made-to-order collection, aiming to reduce stock waste via pre-ordered monthly batches. To make this possible they collaborated with other London makers and their customers, bringing everyone together and giving their customers more choice.
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The name stems from being ‘gung ho’ - acting with raw enthusiasm and attitude. And we think Sophie is just that. Engaging and inspiring people in a positive way to be part of the solution, despite no longer operating as a fashion supplier, out team still proudly wear their Gung Ho uniforms and we will forever remain a whole hearted supporter of the work Sophie does.
THE SEA, THE SEA
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Inspired by the line "La mer, la mer toujours recommencée" (The sea, the sea every day re-starting) from a poem by Paul Valery, this pioneering seafood merchant shares the sea’s fresh new bounty every day with shops, restaurants, and customers in an exciting and sustainable way.
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With a shared love of the incredible variety of fish around our native shores, the team began a mission to promote the full range of species available to UK customers. By working with restaurant partners, and selling through their own shops and restaurants, they’re making sure this local produce is enjoyed here in the UK and not lost to countries who recognise its quality better than we have done in the past.
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They’ve built a strong relationship with some of the best fishermen in Devon, Cornwall, and Scotland. The wild, UK-caught produce comes straight off these local day-boats into The Sea, The Sea’s own transport, meaning the fish can be delivered within 24 hours of being caught.
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Plus - there’s no middle man. That way they can be completely sure of the quality of catch going into their shops and restaurants, and ours, and remain totally transparent with their customers.
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They work closely with the fishermen and external consultants to make sure they’re working as sustainably as possible, and always refer to official bodies such as MSC and Seafish. They’ve also developed their own sustainability policy to make sure they go above and beyond.
As both a supplier and a restaurant owner themselves, The Sea, The Sea understands every side of the restaurant business and perfectly supports our mission at Apricity. It’s a pleasure to work with a team who shares our desire to show love and respect for the bounty of the sea through progressive, produce-led, seasonal cooking.
ROEBUCK ESTATES
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Chantelle first met Will Hine from Roebuck Estates when she was managing The Gilbert Scott. The team has since tried many bottles together and enjoyed a tour of the vineyard in Sussex.
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Roebuck Estates was started in 2013 by two friends, Michael Smith and John Ball, with a passion for great wine. They knew that England, with its climate and soils, had the potential to produce world-beating sparkling wines. So, together they found the perfect site to start their own vineyard. Now, their experienced crew use their wealth of knowledge to grow the finest fruit across multiple sites, producing quality, characterful sparkling wine. After almost 10 years they’re still reaching new audiences, helping people realise the quality of the wine produced on our doorstep.
Along with their name, the wines are inspired by the Roebuck deer that roam the vineyards – nimble, elegant, and at one with their environment. So, naturally, sustainability is important to the team.
They’re also proud to be one of the founding members of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) certification scheme which is driving the development of sustainability in UK viticulture. Roebuck Estates understand that keeping their vines happy and healthy through sustainable viticulture helps deliver a delicious bottle of sparkling wine.
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Will says, “working with Chantelle is always a joy. Having such a champion is a great reinforcement that keeping sustainability at the heart of what you do not only feels instinctively the right way to look after your land and vineyards but also enhances the quality of the final product”.
SHRUB LONDON​
Starting a business supplying restaurants in a pandemic could have ended very differently for Shrub. But with a background in catering, farming, and food supply chains, Sam and Harry noticed UK restaurants weren’t getting the high-quality, ethically-sourced fruit and veg they deserved. Determined to provide better, they quit their jobs, hired a van, and started Shrub.
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Chantelle was one of their very first customers, and in 2020, Shrub began to supply Tredwells with their sustainable and integrity-driven fruit and veg, sourced directly from UK farms. Now we’re thrilled to have them supplying Apricity.
Along with other Shrub customers, by choosing them we’re increasing the demand for a better standard of agriculture, encouraging farmers to convert currently damaging farming practices into more regenerative ones.
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What’s more, with our focus on celebrating UK vegetables and looking after people, we know that thanks to Shrub, the farmers who do so much for our planet and our plates are given the recognition they deserve. The more we value our farmers, the more they'll value us and the planet. And every time we order from Shrub, whether it’s rare fungi or a humble potato, we know the produce is sourced to the highest standard while also having a positive impact on our food production industry.
NAMAYASAI FARM
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Established in 2005, Namayasai are Natural Agriculture™ growers of English and Japanese vegetables herbs and fruit.
Based in Lewes, East Sussex, Namayasai were among the first growers in the UK to pioneer the agroforestry method known as 'alley cropping' and to attempt to use conservation biological control in a commercial free-of-subsidy setting. After 18 years they still use no pesticides, no fungicides and no herbicides - not even the approved organic chemicals. From bare fields, in 13 years nature has created a 21-acre self-seeded woodland of willow, oak, hornbeam, aspen and ash - several thousand trees, none planted by man or woman.
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The vast majority of Namayasai's crops are grown outside for a nutrition and flavour boost from nature's harsh environment. Although their 'slow-food' methods mean a shorter growing season the result is a taste second to none and a shelf-life many times longer than the majority of shop or wholesaler-sourced produce. Their pre-dawn harvests ensure customers receive produce that is only 2 to 12 hours from being picked, this freshness again ensuring maximum nutrition, taste and shelf-life.
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From ashitaba to yuzu, alehoof to wild carrots, Namayasai grow a wide range of English and Japanese vegetables together with an increasing variety of fruit. In 2016 they produced their first crop of yuzu and we at Apricity delight in being able to offer it as part of our menu, knowing it's been grown and harvested locally with the utmost care.
RENEGADE URBAN WINERY
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Renegade shares our ethos of creating excellent results by building happy teams who have fun!
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“Breaking the rules, one bottle at a time”, they source brilliantly grown grapes from partner vineyards across the UK and Europe. After harvesting by hand, they bring the grapes back to their warehouse in Walthamstow - by road, not plane. Here, they experiment with a mix of new and ancient production methods to make small batches of wines for modern, curious palettes. All without using chemicals or industrial processes.
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In fact, if you time your visit to the winery to coincide with a delivery of grapes you may be roped into some grape squishing-yourself – using just your bare feet. Our own team has been known to get involved on a few occasions!
Once processed, leftover squashed grapes are donated to breweries and distilleries to be used in their fermentation and distillation processes, so nothing is wasted. And though they’re already plastic-free, Renegade is further pushing the boundaries of how wine is traditionally packaged, experimenting with kegs and wine in cans for even less environmental impact.
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Having been disrupting the traditional wine world for just over five years, we’re proud to have worked with them for four of those. And we’re thrilled to now be able to bring you their innovative, unique, and mouth-watering wines to enjoy alongside your meal at Apricity.
CITIZENS OF SOIL
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When the team behind Citizens of Soil first started to learn more about olive oil, they saw an industry fraught with issues, including a dangerous lack of transparency and anonymised mass production. Overly commoditised, independent farmers often cannot make enough money from their harvests, the oil changes hands multiple times on the journey between farm and table, and the final oil in our pantries ends up an old, flat, and flavourless shadow of what it once was. Citizens of Soil began in order to break that chain and offer their customers a taste of something they'd never had the chance to taste before.
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They set out to champion small-scale farmers and shed a light on the things they produce. They pay their producers above market prices, and directly into their pockets. This way grove owners can focus on the quality of the oil and continue to implement regenerative farming techniques to preserve biodiversity and soil quality.
58 AND CO.
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We met Carmen O’Neil, owner of 58 and Co., at Renegade Winery in 2021 and have since become good friends with a shared love of excellent food and drink, and of course, sustainability.
In 2016, Carmen was forced to abandon the launch of her designer bridal shoe business at the last moment when a tragic accident left her unable to draw. But, determined not to be beaten, and desperate to start a business with purpose, she turned to happy childhood memories of her mother distilling essential oils. Fascinated by the power of distillation, she decided to distil world-class spirits that also happened to be sustainable, and 58 and Co. was born.
Just five years later, it’s the first female-owned B Corp spirit producer in the country. The collection, which began with gin (her mother’s favourite tipple) and now also includes vodka, has won numerous awards and even been praised by Forbes magazine. All this, produced in the same kind of still her mum used when she was a child (named after her for good measure) in a railway arch under the London Overground.
Carmen shows that you can be sustainable even when space is an issue. Unable to grow their own wheat in central London, they buy British wheat ethanol produced just 30 miles from the distillery. The still runs on solar energy, the driveway is built from 141000 plastic straws diverted from the ocean, and their takeaway canvas bags are made from the salvaged waste cuttings from organic cotton clothing production blended with plastic bottles.
Like us, Carmen is on a mission to reduce waste. The spent botanicals are sent back to the farm to be recycled into compost in a completely circular system. And to produce their Apple & Hibiscus gin, they use apples that have been rejected by supermarkets and would otherwise go to waste. But not content with giving these apples one life, instead of being composted once they come out of the vapour basket, the gin-infused apple mulch is sent to Humble Crumble to make apple and gin crumble.
We’re excited to be adding their gin to our menu here at Apricity. 58 and Co.’s success is proof that sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromise, and that a product can be one of the best on the market while happening to be ethical and sustainable.
MERIT FARM MUSHROOMS
Merit Mushrooms is a small, quality-focused gourmet mushroom producer that used natural products to grow fresh mushrooms locally in Elstree, London.
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Black pearl, yellow oyster and maitake mushrooms are mainstays on our menu as part of our ever popular mushroom mains dish, cutting a striking figure on the plate in all their ever beautiful and organic forms.