Nakey Bakey
Small Changes, Big Ambitions: Nakey Bakey’s Sustainability Journey
For Nakey Bakey founder Megan Murrie, building an environmentally sustainable food business is about making practical changes that work for the business and become part of everyday operations.
Based in Fife, Nakey Bakey creates healthy products that are free from the major allergens and contain no added sugar. The business was born from Megan’s own experience of living with endometriosis and having a nut allergy. Unable to find products that were safe, healthy and still tasted great, she decided to create her own.
That personal experience continues to shape how Megan runs Nakey Bakey today, including the way the business approaches sustainability.
Taking Practical Steps
As Nakey Bakey has grown, Megan has become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of running a food business and the opportunities to reduce waste and use resources more efficiently.
The business has taken time to review how it operates and identify areas where small changes could make a difference.
“Rather than trying to make one big change, we have been working through each area and looking at where we can make more sensible and sustainable choices as we grow.”
One area of focus has been packaging. Nakey Bakey has reduced the size of its outer case boxes and the amount of tape it uses.
The business is also reviewing its main retail bags. As Nakey Bakey is currently going through a wider brand redesign, Megan has deliberately decided to wait until this is complete before making changes to the bags. This means the business can avoid replacing its packaging twice and consider the most suitable options as part of the redesign.
Megan has worked with packaging suppliers throughout the process, considering sustainability alongside food safety, shelf life, practicality and cost.
Making sustainability part of the day to day
The focus on sustainability has also encouraged Nakey Bakey to look more closely at waste and efficiency within its production processes.
Following larger production runs, the team reviews what has been used, what has been wasted and where there may be opportunities to improve. They also use this time to review processes, reorder stock and discuss any changes that could make the next production run more efficient.
“It has changed the way we think about the business and encouraged us to keep looking at where we can make improvements, rather than assuming that the way we have always done something is the best way.”
For Megan, this approach has helped the business identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary waste and costs, while making better use of its resources.
It is also helping sustainability become part of everyday decision making at Nakey Bakey, rather than something treated as a one-off project.
Championing Scottish Provenance
Sourcing and provenance are also important to Megan as she continues to grow the business from its base in Fife.
Nakey Bakey works with Scottish suppliers where possible, including using Scottish oats and sourcing fruit from Bruce Farms in Perthshire. This reduces food miles and shortens the supply chain. The business continues to look at opportunities to source more ingredients from Scotland while maintaining the quality and consistency of its products.
“Supporting Scottish suppliers and being part of Scotland’s food and drink community is important to us.”
Looking Ahead
Megan sees environmental sustainability as an ongoing journey for Nakey Bakey. As the business grows, she plans to continue reviewing how it operates and look for further opportunities to reduce waste, improve efficiency and make better choices.
Her advice to other businesses starting their own sustainability journey is to begin with what they already have.
“You don’t have to change everything at once. For us, it has been about regularly reviewing how we work, identifying where we can reduce waste and improve efficiency, and making changes that are realistic for the business.”
For Megan, the key is consistency. Small changes can add up, particularly when they become part of the way a business operates every day.
