Newton Print and Heart of BS13 cook up sustainable packaging

Heart of BS13 is a small organisation of fewer than a dozen people, making a huge impact in the BS13 community. Based in South Bristol, the charity focuses on improving health, taking action to challenge deeply entrenched inequalities through three programmes of work: food security and vocational training, at its on-site flower farm and climate action.

In the kitchen

Heart of BS13 tackles food insecurity across the area, with one in eight households in the community experiencing challenges with accessing the food they need.

During lockdown, it set up its commercial kitchen to cook for the neighbourhood and to support struggling families. Since then, it has delivered more than 40,000 free, nutritious frozen meals to 400 households in BS13.

BS13 is considered a ‘food desert’, meaning there is limited access to affordable and healthy food in South Bristol. Heart of BS14 is determined to find creative and practical solutions to the problem, so everyone in the community is able to access food that is affordable, delicious and good for them.

Pay-it-forward meal range

To fund its vital food security work, Heart of BS13 created a Pay it Forward meal range, made using BS13-sourced ingredients, which it sells via food stores across Bristol and in its online shop. The meals are frozen to lock in the nutrients and flavour of the South Bristol-grown produce, and to offer a convenient food option for busy people.

Help from Newton Print

The not-for-profit organisation turned to Newton Print to assist with the retail-packaging of the meals, seeking an environmentally-friendly solution that didn’t cost the earth in more ways than one.

Newton Print’s recent innovation in recycled Kraft-based boards for the frozen meals market was the perfect solution, being not only 100% kerbside recyclable, but also produced from post-consumer recycled waste. The Kraft board also fit within budget, helping Heart of BS13 keep costs to a minimum.

“Exactly what we were looking for.”

Jodie Smith, Food Programme Manager at Heart of BS13, said: “We were looking for a sleeve for our new frozen meal range and we chose Newton Print as they had an impressive portfolio of clients and happened to specialise in ready meal packaging! They were exactly what we were looking for.

“We wanted something that reflected the simplicity of our product – small batch homestyle ready meals with a social purpose. It was also very important to us that the packaging would be super easy for customers to recycle, but still be beautiful and align with our social enterprise values.

Quick turnaround

“The team has been brilliant to work with, from initial conversations to talking through our sleeve artwork ideas with the design team. They have also been excellent at quick turnaround times – if we have needed a last minute restock order!

“We’re thrilled with the final sleeve, and we’re really pleased to say that our meals are now stocked in 15 food stores across Bristol. As a not-for-profit organisation, all income generated from our meal sales help to fund our food poverty projects in South Bristol (BS13) where one in eight families are severely food insecure.”

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