'Returning to our roots' - Owner of Wellington eco-friendly shop announces second store in Newport

The Little Green Pantry, an eco-friendly 'zero-waste' refill shop based on Crown Street in Wellington, plans to open a second store inside Newport Market this September.

Owner Keli King said the move is a 'return to the roots' of the business, which began as a pop-up market stall operation working from markets in Telford and Newport, before moving to more permanent premises in Wellington in 2021.

Starting on Friday, September 5, the Newport store will be open every Friday and Saturday inside Newport Market.

“As we celebrate four years on the high street, it feels incredibly special to be returning to our roots in Newport,” said founder Keli King.

“Our customers have helped us grow from a simple market stall to something much bigger and this new space is just the next step in making refill shopping the norm, not the niche.

"What began in 2019 as a small pop-up stall in Wellington and Newport markets has grown into a thriving community hub in Wellington. From humble beginnings, The Little Green Pantry has empowered hundreds of local households to reduce their environmental impact through conscious, refill-based shopping and has built a strong reputation both locally and nationally.

"This exciting expansion will make sustainable shopping more accessible to even more households across Shropshire."

The company has grown to employ a team of five staff who run both the shop and the business' external events and has won a range of other awards for its sustainability and innovation - including 'Green Start-up of the Year' in last year's UK Startup Awards.

The store says it aims to help households to reduce their environmental impact through "conscious, refill-based shopping", with its products either supplied loose for customers to take home in their own containers, or in recyclable or reusable packaging.

The shop now also offers a series of sustainability workshops, as well as easy plastic-free swaps and DIY natural beauty products, which it says helps individuals and local businesses take "practical steps towards low-waste living".

The business also scooped a Good2Great ‘start-up champion’ trophy at the Shropshire Business Festival held at the International Centre in Telford earlier this year.