Shropshire waste transformed into award winning eco friendly compost

Vital Earth RSPB Compost Named Product of the Year

Ashbourne-based peat-free compost manufacturer, Vital Earth, whose products are made from recycled garden waste from Councils around the country, including garden waste and food waste collected from the former North Shropshire District Council area, has won the gold award in the Garden Fertilisers / Chemicals category at the DIY Week Product of the Year Awards with its RSPB No Peat Multipurpose compost. Launched to consumers in the spring, RSPB compost was developed in house at the purpose-built Airfield Industrial Estate site and tested in depth via consumer focus groups to prove its effectiveness and saleability.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds endorsed it as wildlife friendly and perfect for protecting the environment. The product is listed nationally in garden centres and in multiples like The Range and the quirky, colourful presentation together with the RSPB backing are appealing to both established gardeners and younger enthusiasts alike. RSPB Multi Purpose ‘no peat’ compost comes in a 50 litre bag with an RRP of £5.99.

The product is made from recycled garden waste, thoroughly sanitized via Vital Earth’s patented in vessel process and blended with a diluent of FSC bark. Being 100% peat-free, British, sustainable and wildlife-friendly, it is an ideal product for a wide range of gardening activities, including seed sowing, potting and planting up containers.

Commenting on the award, sales and marketing manager, Maryanne Stokes, “We’re thrilled to see that a product that was created by our own team, researched so well and enjoyed such a lot of consumer input, has come good in practice.

We were very confident in the green credentials and the excellent presentation and we knew already the sales - and the sell-through - were fantastic, but an award like this shows that RSPB compost really is a winner.”