Ethos

Carley’s have always been advocates of the benefits of organic foods, they want to be “part of the solution, not part of the problem”. They feel passionately that “organic food and farming is better for us, better for biodiversity, better for the planet and better for the future”.

They have been continuously Soil Association certified since 1992.

History

The business started in Truro, Cornwall in 1974 as a wholefood shop by John & Shirley Carley. Making small batches in a little kitchen above the shop to sell to customers.

They moved to a small rented factory unit- also in Truro, in 2003. Refurbished to contain all they would need to start making nut and seed butters on a bigger scale, with the financial support of Triodos Bank, and the EAGGF (European Agricultural Guidance & Guarantee Fund).

The business continued to grow steadily and soon they found they were running out of space again! They moved to a new Eco-Factory in 2015.

What does & doesn’t go in

Carley’s are proud to never use palm fat, emulsifiers, refined oils or anything artificial.

Almost all of the delicious, nutritious organic nut butters contain nothing but nuts. A touch of cold pressed sunflower oil is added to the white almond, roasted cashew and raw pecan butters so they are spreadable.

The Organic Seed Butters are carefully milled from whole seeds and cold pressed oils to a creamy nutritious butter.

Where are the ingredients from?

Nuts and seeds are purchased from a range of top quality importers, some ingredients are bought directly from the growers themselves. Those who also act in a responsible manner using sustainable principles and who are members of the relevant supportive organisations, and who use independent laboratory checks to ensure no GM or pesticide contamination.

Ingredients are never air freighted.

Almonds - grown in beautiful Sicily, occasionally Valencia Almonds from Spain.

The almonds in the Raw Whole Almond Butters are not heat treated prior to, or indeed following, delivery. Often almonds bought from further afield have been subject to pasteurisation at intense temperatures.

Cashews - from Sri Lanka or Vietnam, the cashew nuts are usually heat treated by necessity in the cropping process. But not these ones! They are laboriously air dried at ambient temperatures, the process takes considerably longer and therefore it is not usually financially viable.

Sesame seeds - from Ethiopia. An organic growers co-operative. Wholeheartedly involved in supporting the building of schools in the area, improving the infrastructure and the environmental impact of processing in that part of Ethiopia.

Pumpkin seeds - again, no heat treatment. The roasted pumpkin seed butter is made from delicious crispy roasted seeds which they freshly roast in Cornwall.

More about the new eco factory

Zero-carbon manufacturer by generating all of the electricity required from roof mounted photo-voltaic panels, roof mounted micro wind turbines.
Minimise grid import with battery storage.
Generate hot water from log fired biomass and solar thermal.
Minimise electricity use by using ultra low energy LED lighting.
Jars made from post consumer recycled glass.
Any green waste is composted and used on the bee friendly flower beds.
Minimise use of raw materials, particularly plastic where possible by using larger containers of the optimum size for bulk product, thin sealing film and any other practical solutions.
Trying to find a viable solution to the film used to seal bulk packs of jars for transport to stockists.
Members of the Packshare scheme to reuse and repurpose bubble wrap, air pillows and space pellets, putting to further use what may otherwise be landfilled.