Green start-up Growers Garden turns left over broccoli into tasty sustainable snack

A start-up business created with a focus on sustainable farming is turning vegetables that don't make the grade for supermarkets in to a range of tasty snacks. 

Published 26th Sep 2019
Updated 26 th Sep 2019

The roots of Growers Garden began with the East of Scotland Growers (ESG), a farmers co-operative that has been working together field-by-field for generations, and brand specialists Denvir Marketing.

A leading producer of broccoli, ESG, wanted to reduce food waste and add value to their core product.

Growers Garden

The snacks come in four different flavours. Picture: Growers Garden

Targeting the the key trends in the market, identified by Denvir as Free From, Flexitarianism and Sustainability, the partnership decided to set-out to develop a product that would use the excess high-quality vegetables to create a unique range of sustainable snacks.

After 18 months of consumer testing and product development, they created a
product that they believed in so strongly, four directors including Denvir’s CEO Suzanne George and 15 founding farmers invested £2Million of their own money to establish Growers Garden, the world’s first extruded snack that uses fresh vegetables.

Growers Garden’s innovative products contain a minimum of 27 per cent fresh broccoli, harvested directly from the fields by the ESG.

The resulting snacks are less than 100 calories per 22g pack, the producers say these vegan-friendly, gluten free snacks contain fresh vegetables unlike many other ‘vegetable’ snacks which often contain 2-3 per cent dry veg powder.

Leading the brand development, Suzanne George, CEO of Denvir Marketing said:
“This fresh new brand is truly innovating within the healthy snack category and we’re proud to say it’s truly delicious with early product trials showing an 82 per cent likeliness to purchase after taste.

"Since launch the brand has secured over 350 stockists across the UK and the feedback from customers has been fantastic.”

Growers Garden has gone on to build a state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Cupar, Fife and the brand was launched at the beginning of 2019.

Earth Day 2024: Scottish businesses offering sustainable spirits and drinks

Driven by a passion for all things drinks-related, Sean writes for The Scotsman extensively on the subject. He can also sometimes be found behind the bar at the world famous Potstill bar in Glasgow where he continues to enhance his whisky knowledge built up over 10 years advising customers from all over the world on the wonders of our national drink. Recently, his first book was published. Dubbed Gin Galore, it explores Scotland's best gins and the stories behind those that make them.
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