Supporting Farmers & Fishers: Ozone Coffee

“Sustainability has huge importance to us as a business,” says Head Chef Sam Scott. “There are plenty of achievable processes and methods that allow kitchens to reduce their global environmental impact.” Sam observes that there is a wider ripple effect. “Doing this work improves our own standards but also helps to create more awareness for other businesses and individuals.”

A group of chefs at Ozone came across the Food Made Good Standard and knew it was the right fit for the business. “They were all at the same point in their food journey,” says Sam. “They share the same ethos and high standards when it comes to the food that they want to work with and what they want to feed our guests.”

Looking within

The process brought some surprises. “Doing the Standard is really eye-opening,” Sam reflects. “It gives you a perfect understanding of where you are on your sustainability journey and where you need to look at improving.” The team at Ozone found that the Standard could be used as a great tool for internal management. “It let us dissect our processes to ensure that we are doing the best that we can to create great food, to a high standard of quality.” 

In 2022, Ozone Coffee received three stars in the Food Made Good accreditation, with Sourcing a stand-out section. They received an especially high score when it came to Supporting Farmers & Fishers, one of four key focus areas under the Sourcing pillar.

Sustainable sourcing

Sourcing is high on the list of priorities in Sam’s kitchen. “It’s important to us that we source food that is farmed or produced with knowledge and understanding, using ethical practices.” Sam is also quick to point out why it’s crucial to communicate the benefits of ethical sourcing with staff and customers. “It’s so important to share the environmental impacts that different farming methods can have on the planet, and to highlight the contrast between sustainable and unethical methods.”

Working through the Food Made Good Standard inspired significant work in this area, bringing new depth to Ozone’s sourcing policies. “Our sourcing strategy has changed massively,” says Sam. “Across our whole supply chain, we are committed to making sure that the products we buy are 100% traceable and that each farmer is following regenerative farming techniques. This focus has come through doing the Standard.” Ozone strives for complete transparency across their supply chain, purchasing coffee and tea from Direct Trade sources and choosing Fairtrade sugar, organic chocolate and Rainforest Alliance certified tropical fruits. For ingredients that can be produced closer to home, they work with local suppliers where possible. “Choosing local suppliers and businesses that have the same ethos and sustainable alignment inevitably costs more,” Sam says; however, it has been worth it for the response they’ve been getting from customers.

“Our diners are now really aware of what we do in the background,” he continues. Ozone’s kitchen philosophy is presented on their menus, where they also highlight their growers cand suppliers and include relevant facts to illustrate the importance of sustainable sourcing. “This creates a dialogue between chefs, front-of-house staff and customers. For us, it’s clear that this is the direction all restaurants should be following, helping to create a better understanding of the food system we need to be working towards.” 

Raising awareness

Customer awareness is a huge part of Ozone’s sustainability journey. Sam is hopeful that communicating the storylines behind their products and suppliers creates a deeper understanding in their customers, encouraging more thought about the origins of the foods on their plates and hopefully even inspiring them to apply these philosophies in their own everyday cooking. “We love to share how we create secondary uses for ingredients in the kitchen. Our guests are always blown away with the consideration we have for our food.”

This is only the beginning for Ozone’s sustainability work; a drive for continuous improvement is ingrained throughout operations. “We will continue to spread awareness and understanding when it comes to sustainability, and to better ourselves and our practices even further.”

Learn more about this Food Made Good accredited business at the Ozone Coffee website. Read more about why ‘Support Farmers & Fishers’, is one of the 10 focus areas of the Food Made Good Framework, or click here to learn how the Food Made Good Standard can benefit your business.