Sun & Swell Brings No-Waste Shopping
Walking into the Sun & Swell grocery store feels more like entering a very cool office space displaying its products, for now, but the new zero-waste store is just a natural extension of a business Kate and Bryan Flynn started in 2017 “to make healthy and sustainable eating more accessible.”
Kate says, “I had switched to a more natural, holistic lifestyle, including eating only ‘whole foods.’ I realized that eating [this way] made me feel better, both physically and mentally. However, when I looked around for packaged foods to accommodate this new eating method, there weren’t any options available.” And a business was born.
Sun & Swell Foods provides healthy on-the-go snacks that are organic, plant-based, and free from added sugars, preservatives or flavors. “We carry a wide range of nonperishable dry goods including nuts, seeds, dried fruits, superfoods, baking ingredients, spices, and more!”
About a year into their business, the Flynns realized they were helping to solve the health problem but contributing to a waste problem with single-use plastics. With a child on the way, “the world we’d be leaving behind” came into sharp focus. This began the journey of transitioning their packaging to plastic-free.
Now, over 75% of the products they sell come in compostable packaging and include a send-back program for those who do not have access to composting. They also provide eco-friendly shipping: using compostable tape on the shipping boxes and avoiding inkheavy printing and plastic inserts.
Sun & Swell Foods is a B-Corp and carefully considers the impact their decisions have on community, consumers and the environment. According to the Flynns, “Profit, people, planet and purpose all can (and should) coexist.”
The grocer currently carries their own products and a small variety of other locally made and sourced zero-waste items.
Sun & Swell
2686 Johnson Dr., Ste. B, Ventura
SunAndSwellFoods.com
