About Better Food
We’re more than just a store; we’re a Bristol-based independent retailer and café passionate about connecting people with organic, local, and ethical food and products. Since 1992, we’ve been on a mission to create a better, fairer food community — one that cares for both people and planet.
Our purpose
At Better Food, our purpose is to build a better, fairer food community. We believe that food can be a force for good, and we strive to bring you organic, local, and ethical products that make a lasting positive impact on soil, animal and human health.
Our values
Our values are the foundation of everything we do. They reflect our commitment to connecting our customers with food that cares for both people and the planet:
- Integrity – We treat everyone with fairness and respect. Guided by our ethical principles, we build transparency, safety, and trust into all of our actions. We’ve been passionate about our food community since we started out as ‘Phil’s Better Food Campaign’. Find out what’s behind the specific decisions we make in some of our FAQs, how we choose organic, local and ethical products based on our sourcing principles (read below), and who we love connecting with in our local community.
- Courage – We embrace challenges, make bold decisions, and foster constructive dialogue to drive positive change in the food system. You can support our mission to make a lasting positive impact on soil, animal and human health – customers can join our Bee Better loyalty scheme; innovative new producers can apply to join our growing list of ethical suppliers, and motivated individuals that want to help us build a better, fairer food community can view our career opportunities.
- Accountability – We hold ourselves to high standards, ensuring our decisions always align with our purpose. We’d love for you to read more about our suppliers, our award-winning successes, and more stories on our blog. If you have feedback for us too, you can get in touch.
Our story: growing an ethical shop and food community
Better Food began in 1992 as Phil’s Better Food Campaign, an organic veg box scheme driven by a passion for local and sustainable food. In 2002, Better Food, as we know it, was born in St Werburghs. Now with four stores in Bristol, we have expanded Phil’s vision of creating a fairer and more sustainable shopping experience.
Our purpose is clear: to connect you with food that cares for soil, animal, and human health. Every time you shop with us, you can trust that our products have been chosen for their lower environmental impact, positive health benefits, and fair treatment of the people who produce them. Through innovation, integrity, and a passion for good food, we aim to create a better, fairer food community.
Our sourcing principles: Organic, Local and Ethical
These are more than just words; they are our guiding principles. They are at the heart of our commitment to building a better, fairer food community.
Organic: working in harmony with nature
Organic farming is a system that works in harmony with nature, focusing on building healthy soil and prioritising animal welfare. It minimises synthetic inputs, instead emphasising natural cycles and biodiversity. In the UK, the Soil Association is the main certification body, while the EU Commission (leaf logo) and USDA-Organic are recognized in Europe and the USA respectively. We prioritise organic because we believe it provides an extra level of reassurance, especially for products like meat, dairy, and items from long supply chains (like soy, cocoa, nuts). Where organic isn’t available, we actively seek out producers with high welfare and sustainability standards and continue to search for organic alternatives.
Local: supporting our food community
For us, “local” means connecting with producers who are close to us – supporting farms, growers, and makers in and around Bristol and within a 50-mile radius of our city. We champion local sourcing not only for the quality of the products but also for the values they represent – from fair wages to environmental practices and transparency. Our partnerships with local producers are built on trust and a shared commitment to quality and ethics.
Ethical: choosing products with care
We are committed to sourcing products from producers who align with our values. For products that are not organic, we look for Fairtrade or other certifications, and we believe that initiatives which care for people are also likely to care for the land.
We’re an Organic Certified Business
Not only do we carefully source organic products, but our business is certified organic by the Soil Association. This means that our facilities and practices are regularly audited to ensure that we are handling organic produce with care, and legally selling them as organic. This extra layer of assurance reflects our dedication to transparency and the highest quality for our customers.