SUSTAINABILITY
For over 30 years, Pure Foods Systems has been at the heart of making vending not only affordable but sustainable. We are firmly part of a circular economy. We have always fought against scrapping vending machines that are perfectly serviceable. Vending machines are built to last and we have always seen our role in rebuilding and remanufacturing them, to ensure that vending machines just keep on vending. It is vital with surging energy prices that we commit to sustainability through adopting responsible, circular-economy practices. This is the only way we are going to keep costs under control and minimise our impact on the environment.
In extending the life of machines we prevent them from being melted down. The cost of carbon emissions from scrapping machines in the UK can be measured in thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Pure Foods is the UK’s largest exporter of used vending machines and within this country, we are the largest supplier of remanufactured equipment. Our business has sustainability at its very core.
Over the years, we have been pioneering methods of improving the energy efficiency of our vending machines and reducing wastage across the whole of our operation. Prevention of the needless disposal of countless machines is achieved by refurbishing them, often with the addition of more modern and environmentally friendly technologies. Our enjoyment at work comes from giving vending machines a new lease of life. In doing this we have saved tens of thousands in tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. We actively work to extend the lifespan of vending machines from 5 years on average, to 25 years+ wherever possible.
We have launched an internal programme to reduce our operational energy consumption by 50%, before the end of 2022. In consultation with scientists and environmental engineers, we have set objectives and targets to help us achieve this and are conducting regular testing onsite to monitor our progress. Since 2014, we have generated 130,000 kWh of solar electricity at our Croydon HQ, with the introduction of battery storage by the end of this year. Our monthly electricity bill should be zero.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the notion of giving back to both people and the planet, are also key to our philosophy. We are always striving to support emerging economies and communities all over the world.
Here are some examples of the ways in which we have championed sustainability and responsible business practices at Pure Foods Systems:
- Engineering: our vending machines are all configured to modern specifications, for maximum energy efficiency and performance. This includes lower-voltage and LED components, brushless electric motors, automatic power-saving modes and internet-based solutions for stock replenishment and credit card payments.
- Energy: at our Croydon premises, where we have installed heat pumps and 24 kW worth of solar panels. Our building has been awarded an A+ energy rating, possibly the only commercial building in South London with this rating. We can now supply an average of 43 kWh of renewable Solar electricity energy every day. This is used to power some of our business operations. The electricity we generated is often exported which in turn helps to reduce the carbon emissions generated by the UK’s electricity network.
- Sustainable products: we were one of the first suppliers to fabricate vending machines that can be powered purely by solar energy. Our book vending machines for schools are one of the lowest energy consuming vending machines in the world.
- Transport: We fully optimise our logistics schedule to maximise efficiency and prevent any unnecessary mileage.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: we adhere to the 3 Rs approach to waste management. One of our directors is also a director of The United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) and we strongly endorse Zero Waste Europe – adopting their policies and best practices wherever possible.
- Pioneering new methods: we want to lead the way for innovation in our industry and were one of the first suppliers to introduce electronic vending machine payment systems. We have also harnessed technology to streamline our products – including machines that power down whenever a building is not occupied, and in-built intelligent stock control preventing wasted trips for replenishment.
- CSR: we aim to source our coffee from emerging economies where the vast majority of profit remains in the country of origin. We firmly believe that these countries should reap the benefits of their agricultural commodities and have opportunities to develop their infrastructure for the rapidly advancing modern world.
- Re-purposed shipping containers: we buy and modify shipping containers with solar panels, so that they can be deployed anywhere in the world as an energy source, operated purely by solar power. These are vital for emergency situations in areas where access to electricity is restricted. We also supply a DIY conversion kit with a fold-out array of solar panels for anyone wishing to modify their own shipping containers.