Meet the eco-friendly Tyrone business owner who wants to change how you fill your basket

In the small Tyrone village of Sion Mills a local man is building a business model that he hopes could change the way we source our groceries for good.

Niall Speak founded the Eco Basket last year after experiencing sustainable and waste free shopping habits while living in Australia.

With the support of Strabane Enterprise Agency and Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Business team he has exciting plans to grow the business and put Sion

Mills on the map for business.

The shopping model is simple: customers bring their own containers and fill them with as much of his products as they need before paying for the goods by weight or

they can order online for delivery with compostable packaging.

It aims to eliminate the household waste created from plastic packaging and over-purchasing.

Their wide range of products includes spices, herbs, grains, toiletries and eco-friendly products and he has ambitions to be the leading Zero Waste Refill provider in Ireland.

“Australia really opened my eyes to sustainability and how we deal with our food waste,” he says. “When I came home and looked at setting up the business, I wanted to do something plastic free that would cut down on waste.

“We began selling at farmers markets and craft events and when I started connecting with customers I could see a genuine appetite to reduce waste and support local.

“It was then that we developed the website to open our doors to everyone.

“We’re allowing people to buy products in measurements they will actually use.
“They appreciate that it can reduce their costs and household waste.

“Customers are encouraged to use reusable containers and any packaging we do use is compostable so there is no waste at all.”

In the early stages of start-up, Niall received support from the Start-Up Accelerator Programme, Go For It, Digital Surge and BIG and their business advisers helped him to create a business plan, access funding and put the foundations in place to get the business off the ground.

Funding he received recently through the Invest NI Innovation Voucher allowed him to work with the Innovation Department at NWRC.

He is currently on the Go Succeed programme where he is receiving specialist support for the high growth potential of his business model.

“Council’s support programmes gave me access to funding and mentoring to develop my plans,” he explained. 

“I had the business idea and passion to deliver it but I had no experience of many of the other aspects of starting up and running a business such as the financial and digital side,” he explained.

“Council in partnership with Strabane Enterprise Agency were fantastic in developing my business plan, providing access to funding, mentor support and always available over the phone for help. 

“This in turn has provided access to further exciting opportunities for my venture.

“Through the programme I was able to pitch my idea to the Catalyst Invent competition where I was a semi-finalist in the Green Tech category for my idea for growing produce locally and greener.

“For anyone thinking of starting their own business I’d advise them to go to your local Council and Enterprise Agency and speak to them, they have the skills and expertise to make your idea a reality.

“Put a plan together and be patient, even now only some of the elements of my plan are coming into effect.

“Speak to experienced business people in your area as well, I reached out to former O’Neill’s Managing Director Kieran Kennedy and he gave me some excellent advice.”

As well as grocery shoppers, the Eco Basket works with cafés, chefs, restaurants and zero waste stores across Ireland and the UK to offer wholesale orders.

Sourcing the right products is critical to their ability to meet demand and Brexit has put the border based business in a uniquely favourable position.

“We source products from all over the world and that allows us to offer people unique products they can't get locally but also at competitive prices to encourage people to be more sustainable.

“Brexit has put us in a great position where we can sell to customers in the UK who find it more difficult to purchase products from Europe and vice versa for customers in Europe.”

As well as being environmentally conscious, Niall is passionate about the community he comes from in West Tyrone and is driven by the prospect of bringing employment and a unique service to his community in the future.

“I want to continue to grow so we can provide innovative jobs, grow our customer base online and open up a premises in Sion Mills or Strabane,” he added.

“We’re working on a really exciting project with the North West Regional College Innovation Department to set up the first Aeroponic Farm in Ireland that can create the conditions to grow produce with no soil or pesticides which will be a brilliant venture, education platform and community resource when it is ready for launch.

“I'm from Sion and my community is very important to me and I would love to be able to give something back to people by providing a service and employment here.”

For more information on the Eco Basket, you can visit their website at www.theecobasket.com for all their products and services and follow them on facebook and instagram @theecobasket.

For further information on the support programmes available to set up and grow your business through Derry City and Strabane District Council visit derrystrabane.com/business and follow us on Socials @Business Support Derry Strabane.