Plastic-Free Pantry Revolution: Raw Bulk Foods Leading the Change

In a world where recycling schemes struggle and eco-conscious champions are seeking alternatives, we'd like to introduce you to the legends at Raw Bulk Foods. This innovative company is a business and a movement advocating for a plastic-free future while stocking your pantry with the tastiest and most wholesome foods yet! 

Redcycle and it's challenges

Many Australians were shocked and frustrated when the REDcycle soft plastic recycling program shut down. In all honesty... we were too! While REDcycle collected more than 7000 tonnes of soft plastics per year, it is still unclear how much of this material was genuinely being recycled (given the massive stockpiles that have been uncovered).

What was more shocking to me was that the REDcycle program only collected about 1 to 2 per cent of all soft plastics generated in Australia annually. Did you know Australians use more single-use plastic per capita than any other nation? Yikes. So what do we do? 

Moving Forward: Conscious Choices and Innovative Solutions

This issue with soft plastic is its diverse composition. From foils and bags to sachets and various flexible plastics, the variety and added chemicals make processing extremely difficult. So we are not screaming for more recycling centres because it is not a silver bullet; we are looking for convenient and innovative solutions… and we found one we wanted to share.

Meet Raw Bulk Foods, a first-in-the-world closed-loop grocery supermarket. Launched in 2022 after a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign, Steph, the founder, is on a mission to stop single-use plastic from your pantry items. 

This Australian online store ships your dry groceries in reusable refill bags made from ocean, beach and landfill bound plastics. The bags come with a pre-paid envelope for customers to return the bags so Raw Bulk Foods can clean and reuse them over and over again. On top of that, all their food is organic or spray-free, and sourced in Australia to reduce emissions. What is not to love!?

So, to all the eco-warriors out there seeking a way forward, consider Raw Bulk Foods (may we recommend the dried mango cheeks, because YUM), and together, let's shape a sustainable, delicious, and plastic-free future. We even stock some of their goodies here! 

Until next week! For now, we think you’ll love our feel-good Earth news story about Kathmandu waste warriors, turning things full circle in the world of fashion; enjoy! 

Much love, 

GFZ Team xx