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
A programme of remedial works to bring Scotland's only funicular railway back into service at Cairngorm Mountain is entering a new phase during week beginning Monday 15 April. With the snowsports season now over, multiple teams from contractor Balfour Beatty, appointed by Cairngorm Estate owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), are set to be deployed on the mountainside.
The five-year agreement between Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will also play a major role in contributing to regional economic growth. The signing of the agreement, by Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, and HIE Chief Executive Stuart Black, follows the official opening of SRUC's Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre (RAVIC), a valued addition to SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Inverness by HRH the Princess Royal.
Deerness Distillery Ltd has secured £246,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the £820,000 development. Construction is underway at the distillery, which was founded by husband-and-wife team Stuart and Adelle Brown.
The Co-Chairs of the Inverness Castle Delivery Group, Fergus Ewing MSP and Cllr Ian Brown, are delighted to announce the award of £30,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in support of framing the 57 panels that will form the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands. This financial commitment from HIE has contributed significantly to the preservation of the 57 panels created by communities across the Highlands and Islands, of which 32 will be included in the first exhibition as part of the Inverness Castle Experience.
Sumitomo Electric UK Power Cables Ltd plans to establish major operations in the region, supplying high voltage cables to the growing offshore wind energy sector. A funding package has been agreed to secure an estimated £350m in inward investment for Scotland, based in the Highlands.
As part of the study, businesses, community groups and social enterprises with future land or property plans are encouraged to complete a short survey by 22 March 2024. Whether it's interest in land for sale or space to lease, HIE is keen to hear from organisations already based in the region as well as from those that are considering locating a business to the area.
L&M Engineering has secured a grant of £58,914 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the development, which is set to boost business turnover by £1.2m and create two jobs over the next three years. The company is diversifying its operations to cater for additional aquaculture markets.
Most businesses in the Highlands and Islands consider their links with the local community as either equal to or more important than their profitable growth. This is one of the key findings of the most recent rural business survey commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partnership with South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE).
Dynamic business support programme, IMPACT30, is aimed at nurturing and empowering the next generation of innovative leaders. The fully funded programme is for people aged under 35 in a young enterprise and in a key decision-making role.
A project to increase electricity supply and reduce emissions on a west coast island has been awarded more than £25,000 by HIE. The HIE funding is being used to replace and upgrade high voltage transformers and other associated equipment to enable a major upgrade of the renewable energy supply on the Isle of Muck.