Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire installs energy-saving fridges after grant from the DE-Carbonise project
Popular Derbyshire farm shop Croots is continuing its journey to becoming more environmentally friendly by installing new energy-efficient fridges.
Over the past couple of years, the farm shop near Duffield has introduced a string of initiatives to reduce its impact on the environment, including cutting out plastic water bottles and straws, banning plastic carrier bags, reducing the use of clingfilm, increasing its plant-based vegan and vegetarian ranges, and switching the trays in the butchery department to a more recyclable type to reduce landfill waste.
Croots has also installed LED lighting in the café and back of house, with plans to shortly add a new LED lighting system for the farm shop which will not only be more environmentally friendly but is also designed to showcase and highlight Croots’ fresh foods offering.
The measures earned Croots a place as a finalist in the Environmental Heroes category of the DerbyshireLive Heroes Awards 2020.
Now the farm shop has replaced six open display fridges - some of which were originally installed when Croots opened in 2008 – with one open display cabinet fridge and three doored fridges that use the latest technology and are much more environmentally friendly.
The four new modern fridges will save an estimated 6.8 tonnes of carbon emissions per year – using less energy to operate, reducing the heat that’s emitted into the shop, and cutting the amount of air conditioning that’s needed in the store. They will also help Croots Farm Shop reduce its energy bills in the future.
The farm shop received a £12,000 grant covering 40% of the cost of the new fridges under the DE-Carbonise project, which has been created to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Derby and Derbyshire to increase their sustainability and save money by reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. A partnership between the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council, the DE-Carbonise project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
Kay Croot, who runs the farm shop at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, with husband Steve, said: “We pledged to make 2020 our most environmentally friendly year ever and as we start 2021, we’re firmly committed to continuing this journey to do what we can to reduce our impact on the environment.
“These new fridges use less energy and will help us to reduce our carbon emissions. They are also quieter, creating a more pleasant environment in the shop. We’re grateful to the DE-Carbonise project for supporting us as we look at all areas of the business to see how best we can become more sustainable.”
DE-Carbonise is a three-year project that began in November 2019 and follows on from the successful D2 Energy Efficiency project. As well as energy saving advice, grants between £1,000 and £20,000 are available in Derby and Derbyshire to cover up to 40% of the total cost of works (ex VAT), depending on the carbon saving and applications have been high.
Tom Veitch from the DE-Carbonise team said: “We were very pleased to approve a grant from the DE-Carbonise project to help Croots Farm Shop buy new modern fridges which will help the company to reduce its carbon emissions and become more environmentally friendly.
“Croots chose the new fridges from the Energy Technology List (ETL) – a government list of energy efficient equipment – and these fridges will now play a part in helping the shop to cut its energy use and to operate in a more sustainable manner. We’d welcome enquiries from other local SMEs, especially in the city of Derby, that would like to find out more about how the DE-Carbonise project could help their business to become more environmentally friendly.”
Croots Farm Shop specialises in supplying local and regional food and drink, as well as offering an ever-expanding range of home-made products. It offers food and drink from almost 50 suppliers who are within a 50-mile radius of the shop – helping to support a wide range of family and local businesses. It also offers an extensive selection of food, drink, cheeses and deli items from further afield, along with gift ideas, wines and spirits.
Croots Farm Shop is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The café is currently closed in line with Government restrictions.
To find out more about Croots, visit http://www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop-127012538821/
To find out more about the DE-Carbonise project visit www.derby.gov.uk/decarbonise.