SME News Q4 2018

SME NEWS / Q4 2018 19 , BOL foods creates 100%meat, dairy and fish free food that is as good for the environment as it is for the consumer. In early October, the firmwas recognised in SME News Magazine’s 2018 Business Elite programme as the ‘Leading Healthy Food Retailer’ of the year. On the back of this well-deserved win, we spoke to Paul Brown, BOL’s founder, to find out more about their extraordinary work and ethos. Ethical Food Made Easy by BOL Despite the recent boom in all things wellness and health, good nutrition seems almost an impossibility in this information- driven, digital-first world. Where others are espousing the benefits of eating fresh, organic produce, for many, the reality of day-to- day life means that the time is just not available to spend a precious hour (or more) doing a task that could very well be done in minutes. Indeed, in this day and age, eating well can be considered task – costly, with misinformation and bad advice getting in the way of something which, by all regards, should be very, very simple. With this notion in mind, BOL was created from the very start to be simple and quick. With their range of Veg Pots, Super Soups and Salads Jars, they have catered to the needs of the modern consumer and cornered the market demand for ‘healthy eating made easy’. More than that, BOL are driven by peerless ethical standards that truly mark them above and beyond peers and potential competitors, as Paul explains: “At BOL, we’re on a mission to help reverse our negative impact on the planet by inspiring people to eat more plants. These are the promises we make to ensure we set the bar high in our pursuit of sustainable and ethical practices.” “We believe that businesses can be a force for good and are proud to be on this journey.” “BOL is for everyone – our mission is to inspire the world to eat healthier, especially when they don’t have time to cook from scratch. We attract a younger, more health and socially conscious shopper that is also a massively growing part of the population, which bodes well for this exciting plant-based movement. We aim to always be approachable, friendly and never judgemental.” When it comes to BOL’s success, Paul takes a moment to comment on the firm’s team, who are integral to upholding BOL’s internal culture and ethos. Above all else, BOL is a firm driven by passion. “People are crucial to BOL’s success. We have a fantastic team of people. It’s a close-knit group that work well together and everyone is passionate about food and the way we eat.” The conversation soon turns to industry challenges that the firm has faced over the last year. Chief among them, the decision to drop meat and fish from their product line: “Going 100% plant-based in 2018 felt like the right thing for us to do as a team of people trying to create a business we can look back on with pride. We are absolutely not perfect, but this will not stop us trying to evolve and improve with every decision we make” In his closing comments, Paul continues, “Dropping meat and fish halved the size of our business overnight, but despite the huge sales shock, it felt like the best decision we’ve ever made. We will continue to make decisions that are better for Oct18091 people and kinder to the planet. We feel privileged to be running an ethical food business that is part of the paradigm shift in how we eat and that could have a positive impact for many generations to come.” Get in touch: hello@bolfoods.com Instagram: @BOLfoods Facebook: /BOLfoods Twitter: @BOLfoods Company: BOL foods Website: www.bolfoods.com