Winning the war on plastic

Flower & White introduces plastic-free packaging

A meringue maker has become the first company in the confectionery market to move into plastic-free packaging.

Flower & White, which sells its gourmet treats in outlets from Selfridges to QVC, as well as overseas to America, Canada, Germany and Australia, used the coup to unveil its latest gourmet product. Namely, Meringue Bites, using a paper-based pouch with a heat-sealable coating. 

Run by husband-and-wife team, Brian and Leanne Crowther, Flower & White has also relaunched its Meringue Bars’ range in paper sleeves as part of a wider commitment. This looks to improve sustainability and reduce energy at its 13,000 sq ft premises in the heart of Shropshire. 

Commenting, Leanne said customers were looking to make better choices in the wake of more awareness about the lasting effects of plastic.

“We know consumers are rightly concerned,” she explained, “and it’s up to manufacturers like us to do something about it.”

Leanne added that they’re “proud to be the first company in the sector to adopt this new paper packaging”  but it’s just the beginning of their planned efforts. 

Meringue company says it anticipates a bright future ahead

Other measures include the purchase of low-energy equipment, LED lighting, and improvements in the supply chain to reduce frequency of orders. The company has also announced it will be partnering with Aston University to streamline processes and enhance productivity.

Co-founder Brian said bigger premises, a strong order book and a commitment to new product development meant the future looked bright.

“I remember the days when we had four people in a garden shed separating eggs by hand,” he laughed. “Now we’re using around 200,000 eggs a week and have the capacity to produce one million meringues each day.”