Bringing sustainability to life across the sector
Cullen was delighted to take part in Scotland Food & Drink’s first Member Safari – a brilliant day that brought members together to see first-hand how leading Scottish food and drink businesses are embedding sustainability into their operations.
The event offered a valuable opportunity to step inside three very different businesses, each demonstrating in its own way how sustainability can be approached practically, strategically and at scale.
Stop one: Highland Spring
The first stop of the day was Highland Spring, based in Perthshire. During the visit, attendees heard from Marie Louise Burnman, Head of Corporate Communications & External Affairs, Emily Bond, Head of Sustainability, and Alex Haken, Head of Technical.
It was hugely insightful to learn more about the company’s sustainability strategy and the way environmental thinking is being built into the wider business.
Stop two: Simon Howie Foods
Next, the group visited Simon Howie Foods in Dunning, Perthshire. There, Simon Howie, Founder, Clair Howison, Brand Director, and James Tree, Operations Manager, shared more about the business and its approach.
A tour of the factory gave attendees the chance to see operations up close, while hearing directly about the investment made into solar and wind energy showed how sustainability can be supported through long-term operational decisions.
Stop three: Arbikie Highland Estate | B Corp
The final stop was Arbikie Highland Estate | B Corp, where attendees toured the distillery and heard from Gilbert Ionescu, Brand Ambassador.
The visit highlighted some of the innovative practices the business is using to prioritise sustainability, and offered another strong example of how environmental responsibility can sit at the heart of a modern brand.
Collaboration across the network
Throughout the day, Cullen was proud to join the conversation alongside fellow affiliate members, including Barry Hurst, Chief Commercial Officer at eyebright Ltd, Jo Markwick, Chief Commercial Officer, and Debbie Douglas, Sales Manager at Cullen Eco-Friendly Packaging.
For Cullen, the event was a fantastic opportunity not only to learn from fellow businesses, but also to share how packaging can support wider sustainability goals in the food and drink sector.
How Cullen supports sustainable food and drink packaging
As a UK-based manufacturer with a site in Glasgow, Cullen offers something a little different: the ability to combine moulded fibre and corrugated packaging under one roof. This enables us to provide integrated, plastic-free packaging solutions designed for transit, protection and strong on-shelf performance.
We are also specialists in shelf-ready packaging, working with major UK supermarkets to create solutions that do more than simply protect products in transit. Good packaging must also work hard on shelf — improving product visibility, simplifying replenishment and supporting retail efficiency.
An important part of our approach is circularity. Waste from our corrugate production becomes the raw material for our moulded fibre products, helping create a more circular and scalable packaging model that aligns with the sustainability ambitions we saw throughout the day.
A shared ambition for sustainable growth
What stood out most from the Member Safari was the shared commitment across the sector. Businesses are actively looking for practical, commercially viable ways to reduce environmental impact without compromising quality, efficiency or performance.
That is exactly the kind of challenge Cullen is here to support.
Looking ahead
We’d like to thank Scotland Food & Drink for hosting such a valuable and well-organised event. We look forward to continuing the conversations with members and exploring how Cullen can support their packaging needs as sustainability continues to shape the future of food and drink.
To find out more about Cullen’s sustainable packaging solutions for food and drink brands, get in touch with the team.
Bringing sustainability to life across the sector
Cullen was delighted to take part in Scotland Food & Drink’s first Member Safari – a brilliant day that brought members together to see first-hand how leading Scottish food and drink businesses are embedding sustainability into their operations.
The event offered a valuable opportunity to step inside three very different businesses, each demonstrating in its own way how sustainability can be approached practically, strategically and at scale.
Stop one: Highland Spring
The first stop of the day was Highland Spring, based in Perthshire. During the visit, attendees heard from Marie Louise Burnman, Head of Corporate Communications & External Affairs, Emily Bond, Head of Sustainability, and Alex Haken, Head of Technical.
It was hugely insightful to learn more about the company’s sustainability strategy and the way environmental thinking is being built into the wider business.
Stop two: Simon Howie Foods
Next, the group visited Simon Howie Foods in Dunning, Perthshire. There, Simon Howie, Founder, Clair Howison, Brand Director, and James Tree, Operations Manager, shared more about the business and its approach.
A tour of the factory gave attendees the chance to see operations up close, while hearing directly about the investment made into solar and wind energy showed how sustainability can be supported through long-term operational decisions.
Stop three: Arbikie Highland Estate | B Corp
The final stop was Arbikie Highland Estate | B Corp, where attendees toured the distillery and heard from Gilbert Ionescu, Brand Ambassador.
The visit highlighted some of the innovative practices the business is using to prioritise sustainability, and offered another strong example of how environmental responsibility can sit at the heart of a modern brand.
Collaboration across the network
Throughout the day, Cullen was proud to join the conversation alongside fellow affiliate members, including Barry Hurst, Chief Commercial Officer at eyebright Ltd, Jo Markwick, Chief Commercial Officer, and Debbie Douglas, Sales Manager at Cullen Eco-Friendly Packaging.
For Cullen, the event was a fantastic opportunity not only to learn from fellow businesses, but also to share how packaging can support wider sustainability goals in the food and drink sector.
How Cullen supports sustainable food and drink packaging
As a UK-based manufacturer with a site in Glasgow, Cullen offers something a little different: the ability to combine moulded fibre and corrugated packaging under one roof. This enables us to provide integrated, plastic-free packaging solutions designed for transit, protection and strong on-shelf performance.
We are also specialists in shelf-ready packaging, working with major UK supermarkets to create solutions that do more than simply protect products in transit. Good packaging must also work hard on shelf — improving product visibility, simplifying replenishment and supporting retail efficiency.
An important part of our approach is circularity. Waste from our corrugate production becomes the raw material for our moulded fibre products, helping create a more circular and scalable packaging model that aligns with the sustainability ambitions we saw throughout the day.
A shared ambition for sustainable growth
What stood out most from the Member Safari was the shared commitment across the sector. Businesses are actively looking for practical, commercially viable ways to reduce environmental impact without compromising quality, efficiency or performance.
That is exactly the kind of challenge Cullen is here to support.
Looking ahead
We’d like to thank Scotland Food & Drink for hosting such a valuable and well-organised event. We look forward to continuing the conversations with members and exploring how Cullen can support their packaging needs as sustainability continues to shape the future of food and drink.
To find out more about Cullen’s sustainable packaging solutions for food and drink brands, get in touch with the team.
