Eco packaging pioneers Woolcool have added another major accolade to their awards cabinet after being named the UK’s ‘Small Family Business of the Year’ for 2020.
The Staffordshire-based firm, which has pioneered the use of eco-friendly wool as a superior insulator in temperature-controlled food packaging, was honoured with the award during an online ceremony streamed live on YouTube in June.
Woolcool overcame entries from across the country to claim the title at the Family Business of the Year Awards 2020, with judges praising the firm’s ‘strong values’ which extend beyond the family and staff to include customers, partners and suppliers.
“We are so proud to have won this award, because the notion of family is at the heart of what we do. Woolcool is family-owned, but we think of the ‘Woolcool Family’ as including not only everyone who works here but our suppliers, partners and customers too,” said Managing Director Josie Morris.
“I want to thank our entire team and all the people who are part of that extended Woolcool Family for their contribution to the success of Woolcool. Awards like this are down to your hard work and support.”
Woolcool was founded 11 years ago by packaging consultant Angela Morris, with the ambition to use natural materials, namely, pure sheep’s wool as an insulator for food products that need to be delivered in temperature-controlled packaging.
CEO Angela, who is married to the firm’s Strategic Director Keith Spilsbury, has now handed the day-to-day running of the company to her daughters Josie and Jessica, who are Managing and Financial Directors.
“I would like to dedicate this award to all of our Woolcool Family who have gone above and beyond during this very difficult and strange time – everyone has performed above all expectations in recent months,” she said.
“I am regularly inspired by what our team achieves, and clearly the judges were too!”
Woolcool’s packaging products, which are used by household names such as Abel & Cole, Riverford and Fortnum & Mason, have attracted new interest during lockdown, with the firm working to safely and responsibly fulfil orders.
The key to Woolcool’s success is its innovative use of sheep’s wool in place of manmade insulators such as polystyrene, creating an ecologically sound option for customers who need to deliver food and medicines within certain temperature ranges.
As a 100% natural material, wool is biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, reusable and abundantly available. It also lowers the carbon footprint of delivery chains, as it takes up less room in transit than manmade alternatives.
After over 10 years of development and spending millions of pounds on research, Woolcool has proven that wool outperforms polluting materials such as polystyrene as an insulator.
In the last year alone, through companies using Woolcool, they have saved over 1670 tonnes of polystyrene insulation from landfill, that’s the equivalent weight of 417 elephants.
Being named ‘Small Family Business of the Year 2020’ is the latest in a long line of accolades for Woolcool, who were recognised with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2018.