Multi-award-winning sweet business founder ‘overwhelmed with joy’ to add another accolade to collection
The founder of a multi-award-winning vegan sweet business was “overwhelmed with joy” to add another accolade to her growing collection.
Greta McDonald, who founded her confectionery brand Sweet Lounge in Brixworth back in 2014, was named a finalist in three prestigious award categories earlier this year.
She was waiting to learn her fate at the National Institute of Directors (IoD) Director of the Year Awards, which celebrate England’s most outstanding leadership talent.
It was the Sustainability Director, Innovation Director and Small-medium Enterprise (SME) Director categories that Greta had made the final in – and she was pleased to take home the title of Sustainability Director of the Year.
The business owner took to social media following the award ceremony and said: “Sustainability is and will always be at the heart of Sweet Lounge, and I’m truly passionate about helping the industry change its mind on single-use plastic packaging.
“I do really hope as the first sweet brand to use this packaging that we won’t be the last.”
Greta was pleased to be praised for not only leading an innovative mission for her own business but for the entire industry – which meant a lot to her.
Sweet Lounge was founded when Greta knew there were better alternatives waiting to be discovered to what was already available on the sweet shelves, as no brands had endeavoured to offer vegan sweets in plastic-free packaging.
The business has already eliminated single-use plastics in its kitchens, is conscious about electricity usage, and is the only sweet brand in retail that has compostable packaging.
Since the business launched in 2021, more than 350,000 pieces of single-use plastic have been saved from entering oceans and landfill by Sweet Lounge. The team now hopes to double that.
The business is also looking to become a B Corporation, a company that has met the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
When asked what difference award nominations and wins make, Greta previously told the Chronicle & Echo: “They always mean a great deal to us. It helps push the team and it’s great recognition for the work that others don’t see.”