County Supplies, a family-run foodservice supplier based at New Covent Garden Market, was a runner up in the Sustainability Excellence – Supply Chain category at the FPC Fresh Awards on September 25th, recognising over two decades of commitment to responsible sourcing, environmental stewardship and ethical business practices.

Often described as the fruit and vegetable industry's Oscars, the FPC Fresh Awards celebrate the very best businesses across the UK fresh produce sector. County Supplies' success reflects a sustainability strategy that reaches every area of the business, from responsible sourcing and waste reduction to customer education and community engagement.

The recognition comes after a landmark year for the company, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last November. Founded in 2005, County Supplies now sources and distributes more than 2,500 lines of fresh produce daily to over 650 customers across London and the South East, while remaining committed to its guiding philosophy, ‘One Sustainable Step at a Time’.

To support its long-term decarbonisation journey, the business has joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to validate its greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonisation targets across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. It is working towards reducing emissions by 50.4% by 2032. A significant milestone will be its move to a new 20,000 sqft warehouse at New Covent Garden Market in spring 2027, as part of a sustainable regeneration project featuring BREEAM-rated buildings, solar panels, zero-to-landfill waste policies and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The commitment to sustainability is underpinned by recognised standards and accreditations, including 16 consecutive years of maintaining BRCGS AA certification, adopting a HACCP Food Safety Management System, SBTi validation and recognition as a Green Small Business.

Another major factor behind the award was the company's achievement of a prestigious Silver Medal from EcoVadis, the world's leading sustainability ratings provider. In its first-ever assessment, County Supplies was ranked in the 92nd percentile globally among more than 150,000 companies in over 180 countries and placed within the top 5% of wholesale food and beverage businesses. The company also achieved top-tier scores for sustainable procurement, environmental management and ethical business practices.

Ethical employment is equally central to County Supplies’ approach. The business actively monitors its progress on equality, diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing a safe, secure workplace. A zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery is also supported by ongoing training in sustainability and ethical practices, while clear company behaviours ensure that respect, fairness and integrity are embedded in the way colleagues work with one another, suppliers and customers.

County Supplies' sustainability programme includes initiatives covering compostable packaging, food waste reduction, energy efficiency and responsible sourcing. The business has also strengthened its supply chain standards by embedding robust practices across its supplier base, including requiring suppliers to sign a Supplier Code of Conduct, complete an annual supplier assessment and pursue certification through schemes such as GlobalG.A.P., Red Tractor, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and LEAF.

Education has become another cornerstone of its approach. Through its Best of British Farming food education programme, County Supplies helps customers make informed purchasing decisions around seasonality and local sourcing, reducing food miles and minimising waste throughout the supply chain.

Founder & CEO, Robert Hurren says sustainability is embedded throughout the organisation rather than being treated as a standalone initiative. "Sustainability is not a trend for us. It is part of our culture, our operations and our long-term strategy,” he adds.

County Supplies continues to demonstrate that commercial success and sustainability can go hand in hand, and the Fresh Awards judges agreed.

Congratulations from everyone at New Covent Garden Market.