Seed and Source

What is your name? - Nic & Holly Sims

What is the name of your business? - Seed & Source, 6 New St. Ledbury

We are a zero waste store and plant based deli, so we offer refills of all your pantry items (rice, pasta, sugar, nuts, seeds, spices, lose leaf tea, locally roasted kontext coffee beans, etc.), as well as all the refills you need of cleaning and toiletry products, from laundry detergent and glass cleaner, to bodywash, shampoo and conditioner.

We also sell sustainable and reusuable alternatives to everyday plastic items - toothbrushes, toothpaste, food wraps, lunch boxes, dish brushes, straws, baby weaning sets, etc.

Alongside this we have our deli counter where we serve a variety of plant based (non dairy) cheeses, quiches, scotch eggs and antipasti.

What is the ethos of your business?  The ethos is pretty simple: refill, reuse, rebuild. We wanted to offer sustainable, plastic free alternatives to big brands, and help those who are curious about reducing their impact on the planet, with the everyday sustainable necessities that can be hard to find locally and affordably.

What is your best selling item? Our best selling item so far is a toss up between our cheeses, scotch eggs and our plastic alternative beauty essentials from local supplier BamBeauty. Over time I think our refills will become a staple, as people will bring in their own containers, but as we've only been open one week, it's our customers' first time visiting, and leaving with all the refills they need requires a little more planning than a spontaneous drop in.

Why did you start the business? We actually started the business based on the fact our family was looking for ways to significantly reduce the amount of single use plastic we used, but with all the normal commitments of day to day life, we could never find the time to get to the nearest zero waste shop in Worcester. We asked lots of advice from other lovely zero waste shops around the country, and eventually decided to bite the bullet and start our own!

- For those interested in shopping zero waste, we sell all refills by weight. You can bring your own containers or purchase some in store (we have a lovely range of amber glass spray and pump bottles for cleaners and toiletries, and corked jars for pantry items). Just weigh your container empty, fill it up, weigh it full and pay at the till - and we're always happy to help!

Nic & Holly