Tea Company Set To Cut Carbon And Increase Production
2nd December 2023
The West Highland Tea Company is improving the energy efficiency and footprint of its newly leased premises in Mallaig.
A manufacturing company in Lochaber has embarked on a £113,300 project to reduce its carbon footprint while increasing production and creating jobs.
The West Highland Tea Company (WHTC) has secured a £56,600 investment in the project from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The company has seen steady growth since it was established in 2020 as an online retailer offering speciality teas including a range hand blended in Mallaig. It now supplies shops, cafes and hotels in the Highlands and beyond.
Business owner Rachael Robertson is keen to improve the energy efficiency and footprint of the company's newly leased premises in Mallaig, through renovation works and equipment renewal.
Works will include replacing windows, upgrading insulation, and replacing ceiling tiles with plasterboard. The water heater, heating system, ventilation / extraction, hand drier, refrigeration units and two toilets will also be replaced with new more efficient appliances.
There will be a dedicated visible packing and blending space. Visitors and customers will be able to watch through a windowed partition as the tea is blended and packaged, after which it will be available to taste and buy.
Two new seasonal jobs are expected to be created; one full time and one part time. The business is also forecasting a 1.57 tonne reduction in annual carbon and almost 70% increase in productivity.
Elaine Jones, senior development manager with HIE's Skye, Lochaber and Wester Ross team, said, "More and more businesses are recognising the benefits of taking measures to reduce their carbon emissions, particularly as they increase production capacity. This is increasingly important as we transition to a net zero economy.
"This latest project by the West Highland Tea Company will make many improvements to the business, mainly carbon and cost reduction, but also enhanced production capacity, job creation and enhance brand visibility. It will also add to the visitor offering in the Mallaig area, giving visitors more reason to stay in the area longer.
"I'm very please we have been able to support the project and look forward to continuing to work with the company as they implement the plans."
The increased production capacity will enable WHTC to explore the potential to expand its customer base to European, U.S. and Canadian markets.
Business owner Rachael Robertson said, "I am delighted to receive this funding support from highlands and Islands Enterprise. As the West Highland Tea Company grows and develops it is vital that we minimise our carbon footprint, and this grant is key to us achieving that aim.
"This is an exciting project for us, and I look forward to being able to showcase our tea blending process to customers in the new space in Mallaig."
PHOTO
Rachael Robertson
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Shell-volution is an ambitious industry-wide initiative supported by the public sector and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) which has been awarded £4.4 million of investment from the UK Government as part of the Islands Growth Deal. This innovative, ground-breaking project is set to transform shellfish aquaculture, bringing sustainable growth and additional quality jobs in mussel farming, based on detailed investigations (mapping and monitoring) and creating a model for improving security and reliability of wild spat recruitment, through industry best practice.
A Nairn-based foundry, which has achieved international recognition for its larger-than-life bronze castings has invested in a £200,000 expansion to help it reach greater heights. An award of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has helped Black Isle Bronze to improve infrastructure and purchase equipment to extend the range of projects the firm can undertake.
Young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to increase productivity, innovation and employment can apply for funding from HIE. The fourth round of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Young Business Capital Grant (YBCG) is now open to businesses that have been trading for less than five years with up to 250 full-time equivalent employees.
Ambitious young businesspeople in the Highlands and Islands have just one more chance to benefit from a tailored support programme. IMPACT30 was launched by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2018 to help nurture and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The winners of the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Awards (HIFAD) 2024 were announced on Friday 1 November at a prestigious ceremony at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness. Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the awards celebrate the talent, quality and diversity across food, drink and hospitality in the Highlands and Islands.
A family run engineering fabrication firm in Caithness is investing in a project to improve productivity, grow business turnover and create new jobs. Gow's Lybster Limited has been working with development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) over several years to develop its growth plans.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will return to Norway to host the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025. The Scottish aquaculture supply chain is invited to register their interest to exhibit as part of the pavilion or join the wider Scottish delegation.
A young engineer working on Britain's deepest nuclear clean-up project has been recognised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Liam Gordon (27) won the Young Chemical Engineer of the Year award at the annual showcase event of the Aberdeen branch of IChemE, the professional body for chemical engineers in the UK.
Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities. Small to medium sized enterprises in the Highland Council area that operate in the food and drink sector and its supply chain are expected to benefit from a new programme of support launched his week.
Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations can now apply to a new Green Grant Fund launched on Thursday 26 September 2024. The three-year £2.7m fund was developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
