At first sight, the idea of bringing goods from all over the globe looks like an environmental "No No", at odds with the modern mantra of eating local and seasonal produce. But Bart Spices is following an ancient tradition which helps people to cook and enjoy fresh food and they are doing it in the most conscientious way possible.
The vast majority of spices come by ship, many from Fairtrade growers which contributes to sustainability abroad, investment has been made in low energy equipment and staff have undergone formal training to improve re-cycling rates and reduce waste.
Spices have been valued and traded for at least 5,000 years. One of the first pieces of evidence is an Assyrian myth which claims the gods drank sesame wine on the night before they created the earth. What is true is that humankind has always enjoyed the heightened taste they bring in the cooking of food.
Medieval operators depended on the wind to power their sail boats and the 21st century spice trade still relies on shipping, the least environmentally damaging way of transporting goods over long distances and when they arrive in Bristol, Bart Spices Executive Chairman, Edward Shaw, says they do all they can to minimise their carbon footprint.
"We are sensitive to the issue of spice miles and therefore we have taken steps to limit them. For example, we have centralised our warehousing and so cut down on the number of lorry journeys which were needed to move products around. In fact we don't operate our own lorries, but instead customers collect the products in their vehicles. Therefore, a retailer could pick up our spices as well as a range of other goods on a single journey and so reduce lorry miles," said Mr Shaw.
The Chairman sets a personal example by driving a Smart car or using public transport and staff are encouraged to cycle to work by the provision of showers and laundered towels.
"We believe there is a powerful business case in being green. It can save money and improve efficiency. An important element is getting everyone in the company to think about how they do their job and to change their behaviour. We support that by bringing in outside people to provide formal training. Not only are they the most expert, but it also makes an impact on staff who then properly understand the importance the company places on the issue," he explained.
Principals which underpin all operations are a desire to reduce the amount of waste produced and to take steps to improve re-cycling.
"We aim to send as much waste glass straight back to the manufacturers for re-cycling, where it's most valuable, rather than simply sending it to a generic re-cycling plant. And we have also purchased a baling machine for soft plastic items such as shrink wrap and plastic bags . That's where some of the training comes in, helping people to understand why it's so important to use separate bins for different products to avoid cross contamination," added Mr Shaw.
There have been other capital investments such as new shrink wrapping machines which heat up and cool down more quickly than their predecessors, cutting down on energy use and since they throw out less heat, reducing the need for air conditioning in the summer. Staff now routinely turn off equipment when not in use and they hope to be able to reduce dependence on a night shift which would lead to a further reduction in heating and lighting the building.
Another important contribution to wider sustainability comes in the company's policy of expanding its use of Fairtrade producers.
"We were the first people to supply a Fairtrade spice to the supermarkets, with the launch of our Vanilla Pods back in January 2006. Since then we've followed up with Ground Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks, Turmeric, Cloves, Black Peppercorns, Mixed Spice and Cardamom Pods."
"We think its another way in which we can contribute to a better global environment by helping to generate sustainable prosperity in developing economies by paying a price for spices which includes a social premium, used to fund projects to improve local community facilities such as schools and water supplies. That has to be a better long term solution than allowing them to be overly reliant on charitable hand outs," said Mr Shaw.