REVIVE Eco, run by Fergus Moore and Scott Kennedy, was set up as a coursework project when the pair were studying business and entrepreneurship at Strathclyde University. They soon realised there was a gap in the market for the company and have been trying to change attitudes towards waste and waste disposal ever since. The firm now has plans to expand into mainland Europe to stretch its eco-friendly message even further.
Name: Fergus Moore
Age: 24
Position: Co-founder
WHAT’S YOUR BUSINESS CALLED?
Revive Eco Ltd.
WHERE IS IT BASED?
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
MY colleague Scott and I originally came up with the idea for the business when we were at Strathclyde University. We had to think of a company with a social or environmental aspect. We both worked in cafes at the time and wanted to tackle food waste. It was a very simple idea back then but, after the class project ended, we set it up as a proper company in 2015.
People are becoming more aware of coffee waste, especially with the tax levy on coffee cups. However, there is less awareness of coffee ground waste and people seem surprised when we explain it to them. People are more aware of recycling and are becoming more ethical consumers.
Too many businesses are stuck in a linear process when it comes to getting rid of waste. If companies like us can get the message across then hopefully businesses with more money will get behind it.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
WE work with coffee roasters such as Dear Green Coffee in Glasgow. The coffee roaster does the selling for us and we go to the cafe and set it up.
We make products such as soil conditioner with the coffee waste. We currently sell the soil product in bulk through contacts but we are setting up an online store soon. We have a waste management company that collects the coffee grounds for us to we don’t need to employ drivers.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
WE are the only company collecting coffee grounds on an industrial scale in Scotland. In the UK, there’s one similar company. We are different because we only use heat and water which is the most cost effective and energy efficient way to do it.
We turn the waste material into new products and can manipulate the process more than other companies to meet demand. If someone wants a certain chemical we can do that.
A lot of businesses in the waste industry are stuck in their ways and not open to more niche waste from specific industries such as coffee grounds.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
WE initially presumed the target would be environmentally conscious cafes but every cafe has coffee ground waste and if there’s a way to get rid of it in a cheaper or in a more environmentally friendly way then they are on board. We have a wide variety of clients. Our first was Edinburgh University and we also collect waste from Holyrood Palace and local councils. We have also had people asking about home collection.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
FOR me, it’s seeing the impact we have. It can save cafes money and they feel like they are helping the environment too. Our soil conditioner means people can avoid putting chemicals in soil. When we scale up the chemical side of the business it will disrupt the food and drink and cosmetics industries. A lot of chemicals in cosmetics products are not sustainable and if we can provide local sustainable chemicals to companies we could have a huge impact.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
WE want to expand outside of Scotland as soon as possible. Unfortunately, in terms of scale, Scotland is sparsely populated. We could grow much more quickly in Germany or Sweden. We want to broaden our impact and to expand into at least three or four countries in Europe. Italy is a huge potential market for us because it is densely populated and they drink a lot of coffee there. The Asian market is also big.
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