We believe that the best tasting food is responsibly grown
We source our grains from growers that leave the lightest touch on the planet, working to regenerate the soil & steward the farm ecosystem.
We are committed to reducing our impact and remain dedicated to positive changes. We have a number of sustainable solutions and we’re constantly looking at innovations and challenging ourselves to do more. Below are some exemples of our sustainable approach
ORGANIC
Some of the key reasons we love organic is that it means: no GMO, no synthetic fertilisers, no synthetic pesticides, the highest animal welfare standards of any international farming system and access to outdoors, no routine antibiotics, working with nature to increase biodiversity, and growing a diverse range of crops. It incorporates multiple regenerative practices across the whole farm within a legally regulated standard.
Organic standards prohibit the use of glyphosate.
Importantly, it is a certified and accredited supply chain, which offers protection against greenwashing. All our organic products are certified by the Soil Association. Organic methods support soil conservation, along with carbon sequestration.
An organic farm has on average 30% more biodiversity. We are extremely proud to work with, and be supported by a network of growers who follow organic farming practices, who grow the amazing grains that we mill into our organic flours.
Organic farming methods can help to slow down climate change; if Europe’s farmland all followed organic principles, agricultural emissions could drop by 40 50% by 2050. Organic farmers are encouraged to “close the loop” on their farms, limiting the use of imported resources and making use of what’s to hand. This means no artificial fertilisers and healthier soils.
THE WHEAT PROJECT
We’re currently working on the “Wheat Project”, with 12 organic UK growers growers who are focused on improving the soil and the biodiversity on the land. They are growing heritage grains, and we are working with them to monitor how in the face of the UK climate these grains perform, so that the grains grown have the best natural chance of success to the climate and local soil profiles. By growing a blend of a variety of grains, in this instance heritage varieties, it creates an insurance policy against challenges such as weather, insects, and disease. What might affect one variety may not damage another.
This technique is nothing new – it’s an ancient strategy many farmers have used to cope with uncertainty, some discovering over the years which blends suit their soils and creating specific blends of grains which will thrive in the local environment without the need for synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. These 12 growers are all incredibly inspiring, and it’s exciting to be working with people who are willing to dedicate their entire livelihoods to overcoming challenges that organic farming can face, challenges from the climate, and who are so driven to make a positive impact on the land.
WHOLEMEAL FLOUR
One of the simplest climate solutions that we can all participate in is switching to eating more whole wheat. In addition to providing more nutrients, it is also less wasteful. BCG currently estimates we could shave off 20-25% of greenhouse gas emissions and land, water, fertiliser and pesticide use from the grains we eat by eating the whole wheat kernel.
The first flour we milled was a stoneground wholemeal, and we now have a wide range of wholemeal flours encompassing a variety of grains including einkorn, spelt, Khorasan and emmer. These flours form the heart of our range, and we would encourage you to give our wholemeal flours a try.
We have a recipe for baking a 100% wholemeal sourdough with heritage grains on our Journal here, which is designed to be easy to adapt to what is available each harvest. The tinshape removes the pressure of shaping and makes the recipe accessible to bakers of varying abilities.
Energy
Shipton Mill is powered by energy from 100% renewable sources, including from our own solar panels. As of 2024, we have more than doubled our solar energy from our panels.
Water
We use a Buhler automated conditioning system for the grain, which allows us to carefully control the amount of water used. The unit monitors parameters such as actual moisture, water flow and temperature.
Packaging and Transport
•We have eliminated plastic from all our Flour Direct website retail orders, which are packaged in FSC certified boxes made entirely from recycled paper fibres and which are 100% recyclable and compostable.
•A large percentage of our flour is transported direct to customers via tanker, meaning no packaging is required.
•80% of our lorries are powered with Euro 6 engines, the most environmentally friendly and clean engine currently available. We use electric forklift trucks in the warehouse.
Heat Exchangers
Any excess heat from the milling process is converted using our heat exchangers and used to heat our offices and provide hot water.
We love second hand
Nearly all our roller mills and stone mills are upcycled from mills which have closed, which we have restored ourselves. Sometimes it’s a challenge for our engineers, but we love it and find that some of the equipment dating back to the 1930s operates brilliantly still today. Although a small contribution in the scheme of things, we are proud to restore and bring life back to some of these incredible bits of machinery.
Reducing Waste
Wemill the entire grain into our wholemealflours. Where we mill white flours, and there is leftover bran, we package this and sell it as wheatgerm and bran wherever possible, a delicious addition to baking and full of nutrients and flavour. If we are left with any unusable product for human consumption, this is used for animal feed. The only waste we have is sweepings from the floor.
Regenerating a rainforest TOROSAY
How we treat the earth goes well beyond farming practices. To this end, we have completed work at Torosay Hills on the Isle of Mull, planting 750,000 native broadleaf trees over the last five years as part of the regeneration of a Celtic rainforest that once stood upon what had become over-grazed moorland with severely depleted biodiversity. The forest regeneration will contribute to carbon sequestration, more biodiversity, and healthier soils. You can read more about our project at www.torosay.org
This project was granted the Queens Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) accreditation in 2021.
Social Responsibility
BREADWINNERS
In 2016, we launched a community programme and registered Charity, called “Breadwinners”, supporting refugees and asylum seekers into employment through a programme of training the sale of nutritious, additive free Real Bread. This has since expanded from London to Brighton also.
220+ refugees and young people seeking asylum have been supported through our programme, 96% report an increase in wellbeing after taking part in the programme, and 90% have progressed into further paid work after graduating.
Press, Features and
Awards — Breadwinners.
Local Community
We work closely with the local community – supporting local projects and schools, holding workshops for home bakers, site tours, open garden and sharing our organic and biodynamic gardening practices. We grow our own fruit, vegetables and flowers in the mill biodynamic garden, for our team, and any excess is sold either through boxes, or via an honesty box on site at the mill.
We have an apprenticeship scheme which offers a unique opportunity to train as an apprentice miller resulting in a flour milling qualification from NABIM. We are passionate to preserve the craft of milling and ensure any knowledge we attain is shared and passed on.
Centuries of milling
Traditional Grains
