Awesome Wales CIC
Nominated for Business award
Awesome Wales is a social enterprise based in the Vale of Glamorgan with zero waste stores in Barry and Cowbridge. Customers can buy environmentally friendly and ethically produced goods with no unnecessary plastic packaging. It's run by partners Stuart Burnell and Amy Greenfield alongside a community board of directors.
Their aim is to help the local community to protect the environment, save money and cut food waste, all while doing their weekly shop. Their unique dispenser system allows customers to buy exactly the amount that they need, allowing people from all backgrounds to shop zero-waste.
The coffee shops are used to hold community events and workshops and, in conjunction with Repair Café Wales, hope to host monthly events encouraging customers to bring broken items to be repaired instead of being replaced. They also work alongside Benthyg Library of Things, allowing local residents to 'borrow' items instead of purchasing.
They host community workshops during school holidays, where children can learn to make 'zero waste' items from scratch, such as bath salts and lip balms, using plastic free ingredients.
Customers can also subscribe to a weekly locally-sourced and plastic free fruit and veg box.
As a Community Interest Company, the majority of the profits from the company are invested in local community groups and activities.