Soil Association Organic Awards

The winners of the Soil Association Organic Awards 2008 were announced by ethical living and environmental journalist Lucy Siegle at the Natural & Organic Products Annual Industry Awards in London. This year saw a record number of entrants for the awards across every category, particularly for the Organic Beauty and Bodycare Products. Lucy Siegle commented on the awards saying that there was a fantastically dynamic mix of organic winners this year. They included a couple of extremely well-known brands, Abel & Cole and Neal's Yard Remedies, some newcomers and some stalwarts, such as Infinity Foods. This range demonstrated how established and secure the organic movement was. From pubs to body scrubs and on-trend summer dresses, there were credible alternatives. This was brilliant news for a growing movement of organic consumers who like to shop ethically.

Eight Soil Association Organic Awards were presented to businesses that have created top quality organic products or services and demonstrated innovation, business leadership and a tremendous commitment to the organic industry.

Winner of the Best Organic Restaurant Award is The Duke of Cambridge. The already award winning restaurant at the Duke of Cambridge is the only gastropub in the UK to have been awarded Soil Association accreditation. The pub’s seasonal, fresh menu changes twice daily, according to what produce is available and what is at its seasonal peak. The staff at the Duke of Cambridge regularly visit the organic farmers and growers who supply them and buy direct wherever possible. About 80 % of the pub’s fresh produce is sourced from the Home Counties, in order to food miles at a minimum, and its fish-buying policy was the first in the country to be approved by the Marine Conservation Society.

Winner of the Best Organic Textile Product is Beaumont Organic. The Beaumont Organic Collection is made with 100 % organically grown cotton, free from pesticides and insecticides. Beaumont Organic is a family run business lead by the designer Hannah Nicole who designs styles that are simplistic and elegant. The manufacturing of the range is in Maia, Portugal where a small family run factory produces the range to the highest standard and with impeccable attention to detail.

Winner of the Best Organic Babycare Product is Eselle Organics Baby Bottom Balm. Eselle Organics Baby Bottom Balm is a gentle and kind balm with calendula oil to sooth, heal and protect babies soft skin. It blends 100% organic ingredients including chamomile, shea nut butter and sea buckthorn oil. Eselle are actively involved in community development projects in the Himalayas where some of their ingredients are grown.

Winner of the Best Organic Facial Skincare Product is Neal’s Yard Remedies White Tea Enriching Facial Mask. Neal’s Yard Remedies White Tea Enriching Facial Mask is a nourishing beauty treatment with White Tea extract to reduce fine lines. It contains precious organic seed oils to replenish vital skin moisturiser. Neal’s Yard are the first national high street retailer to be accredited by the Carbon Neutral Company.

Winner of the Best Organic Bodycare product is Origins Body Pampering Massage Oil. Origins Body Pampering Massage Oil is great for both moisturising and massaging the whole body. Pure organic Jojoba known to mimic the oils in skin is blended with organic fennel, organic chamomile and mellow, herbaceous organic clary sage to produce an oil which soothes and rejuvenates skin.

Winner of the Soil Association Best Small Shop is Growing With Grace. Growing With Grace provides fresh, organic, locally produced and fairly traded food to the local community selling produce though the shop, at weekly markets and through a box scheme which delivers to 200 households. A unique aspect of Growing With Grace is their Community Composting scheme which processes the community’s green waste and ‘completes the circle’ by using it to produce food for that same community. They also share information about their work through events, open days and educational work.

Winner of the Soil Association Best Large Shop is Infinity Foods Shop & Bakery. Infinity Foods Shop & Bakery has been supplying ethically and sensitively sourced natural and organic produce for 37 years. They have actively supported and encouraged the start up of local organic farm initiatives, many of whom supply them with produce. They prioritise locally grown produce where possible but have also been involved in setting up fair trade initiatives abroad. Infinity Foods Shop & Bakery prides itself on its ‘grass roots’ approach to running the business. Employees are able to become members of the company which allows them a say in all decisions.

Winner of the Soil Association Best Internet/Delivery Service is Abel & Cole. Abel & Cole offers consumers an online ethical and organic alternative to supermarkets. Information on food provenance and farmers is supplied on their website and customers are able to order using a straightforward process that even lets them exclude produce they don’t like. Abel & Cole pride themselves on excellent customer service and have won the National Customer Service Awards two years in a row.

www.soilassociation.org