The husband-and-wife team behind First and Last Brewery, in rural Northumberland, has always had a strong focus on sustainability and community. But a recent move to new premises has prompted them to take a fresh look at cutting carbon. Sam Kellie, Director, explains their next steps.

What were you already doing to reduce your environmental impact?

We’ve always had a green focus and had already looked at the ‘quick wins’ – our packaging is made from recycled materials and we use paper tape rather than plastic. We’re mindful of our food miles and work with local suppliers. And we’ve always made sure our energy comes from renewable sources.

How did moving premises lead to a renewed focus on sustainability?

The move has been a great opportunity to improve how we do things, both in terms of resilience and sustainability.

After COVID we relocated to a larger premises in Bellingham which meant we could brew twice as much, more efficiently due to economies of scale. To increase our resilience as a business, we brought in extra members of staff and we diversified our income stream by adding a tap room. And we took a fresh look at what more we can do to reduce our carbon footprint as well.

And what are your next steps, to reduce your impact even more?

We recently worked with Sustainable Business Services to do a baseline carbon audit which helped us get a handle on what our carbon emissions are.

Now, we’re in the process of changing the labels we use on our bottles and cans, which tend to be plastic-based. We’re looking at a new type of label that uses by-products from the wood processing industry and is recyclable.

Alternative energy generation and storage is also on our radar, as brewing uses a lot of energy in short periods of time. It is a big investment so is still in the future for us, but we’re researching different options.

Has it been expensive to make these changes?

A lot of the changes we’ve made have had costs associated with them, and the time you spend has a cost as well. But this has been balanced out by the ‘green pound’. Our customers value sustainability and respond to it, and I think most businesses will see an increase in their customer base, although it can be hard to measure.

Many things that have an environmental benefit will have a benefit on your bottom line as well – like reducing energy and water usage.

Have there been any other benefits to the business?

I understand our business a lot more, as I’ve had to dig into every part of it. I actually quite enjoy it. It feels like the right thing to do and I feel proud of our business. And it has the potential to help you grow your business. 

What’s been difficult? 

When you look at your carbon footprint, it involves thinking about your suppliers and their emissions, as well as the ones you create directly. That’s sometimes been difficult, especially when talking with bigger companies.

And in any small business cash flow is tight. We don’t have the luxury large amounts of cash to invest, so we’ve had to concentrate on the changes we can make now, and planning for bigger changes in the future.

What's your advice for other businesses? 

Firstly, don’t see sustainability as a destination – you’re not going to spend a certain amount of money and have achieved it. It’s a journey and a mind-set which you need to get into, and there are some very low cost – and some no cost – things you can do which will start your journey.

Talk about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it on social media. People are much more aware of the importance of sustainability and it is influencing their purchasing decisions, so it has the potential to help grow your business. 

And businesses don’t exist in a vacuum. We’re all part of our communities and our environment and we have a responsibility to do what we can to tread lightly. 

Are there things you could do to reduce carbon emissions from your business? Take a look at the resources in our Net Zero toolkit to help you make changes.