Twenty days at my local High Street
Berrybegood Ltd-Plant + is an innovative Plant-based business with wellness as a priority.
We aim to use fresh produce in all our products, using ancient knowledge to make healthy and eco-friendly food.
Our journey started in 2018 with several events, markets, and festivals. In 2021, we successfully provided a free educational experience at a local Junior School, where we talked about geography and basic nutrition. Our smoothie bikes complemented our experience by allowing children to create their own smoothies.
Due to COVID, our presence has been mainly online, but we aim to extend these experiences by giving GCSE-age students and older the opportunity to do the presentations. This will give them a great insight into businesses and improve their presentation skills. Alongside this, we are preparing to allow disabled people to have work experience at Berrybegood that matches their abilities and needs.
We made it to the high street and traded for 20 days, every day from 9 till 5:30.
I was at our 2.5 x 50-metre capsule for 20 days, every day, including Saturdays and Sundays, my daughter thinks that I can do jail time, no problem.
The reaction to our Tuk Tuk was mainly positive. Comments like "it looks beautiful" will be glued to my memories forever.
Many people were unsure what plant-based or vegan was, or what our business was about, which led me to try to improve our image and message.
Nevertheless, we believe that the government and local authorities should educate everyone regarding the benefits of adding Plant-Based foods to people’s diets and inform the public about veganism, plant-based diets, and whole-food plant-based diets.
Nutrition should be one of the main subjects at every educational institution. Prevention should be more important than the cure.
Labelling something without explaining is not always ideal. We found a supermarket labelling frozen fruit “vegan” This is not informative enough and could be misleading. Most of us need fruit, regardless of our food inclinations.
Why is health and nutritional knowledge mainly in the hands of the wealthy?
As a street trader, I have experienced that some traders' facilities vary according to the councils. If you are a trader, do your research.
I had to do my “Undercover Boss” on this occasion, as I couldn’t hire anyone due to the costs and current conditions. Could I put someone through this? Well, it is a big NO for me.
I experienced vandalism and antisocial behaviour, but I suppose this is the reality that many traders have to experience every day, which can be detrimental to their businesses and the locals.
The reality of the high street is a sad reality that will get worse if local groups don’t demand fairer treatment for independent local traders and community groups. We need to think in terms of future generations.
As a plant–based, Vegan business, we had our first baptism of fire with a cream attack. Now I laugh about it, but you don’t expect to find your food van covered in cream on your second day of work.
Some people made terrible noises and unpleasant comments just by looking at the fruit and vegetables on display. What sort of society are we living in?
Cheap food equals unhealthy, bad for the planet and cheap labour. We all will have to pay the bill when the effects of this come.
Currently, we are surrounded by sewage, there is pollution in our rivers, we have to export rubbish as the planet cannot cope with our consumption, and we have an imminent obesity epidemic alongside an alarming climate crisis.
Being a neighbour to McDonald's has been another revelation. Kids run around on fast scooters, high on McDonald's, make frequent trips to the establishment, and congregate to keep eating and being seen. The antisocial behaviour increases, and it is dangerous.
McDonald's and Costa (Coca-Cola owns Costa) have increased profits in the last year. Although both have operating increases due to inflation, they can certainly invest in much better packaging.
We also go to McDonald’s occasionally, once a month or maybe less. Unfortunately, their refusal to have alternative milk for coffee is not for us. Alternatively, milk is not only good for the planet but also good for people with intolerances.
The high street is changing, it is a fact and no matter how much groups want to keep things as they were many years ago, change is here, wars, Covid, Brexit, new traditions, lots of new religions and we all have to learn to live in harmony otherwise profound differences that are happening in other countries will start appearing or are maybe are already happening.
As judged by the number of arrivals in the past two years (Data by the Migration Observatory), we are moving from European culture to a more Asian, African, and South Asian culture. With these changes come a few challenges, not only in education. Some people come from caste societies and have other traditions, which is fine, but we need to understand more about our new diversity to prepare for essential things like doctors, schools, etc.
Another big concern that I noticed while on the High Street was vaping; the amount of non-recyclable vaping devices is concerning, and the use of these by the very young is another shock. I have heard the government give extensive speeches about this issue. I suppose our government is becoming great at giving speeches with no essence or positive action, and we do need action now.
I love my customers and their patience with me, waiting to be served when one-woman show.
It has been refreshing to highlight my new customers’ ages. Most of them are younger than 60, and only 2% of over-60s came to my tuk tuk. This is Bracknell. I suppose this is a reflection of what is happening in town.
Young parents with children have inspired me. I make sure that young kids are familiar with fruit and vegetables. Two of my best-selling books for kids contain cucumber and spinach. This is very inspiring and encouraging.
Looking at the numbers of this, I could be tempted to bottle it. Unfortunately, fruit and vegetables lose power after processing, so the fresher, the better. That is why frozen could be the best alternative.
I must admit that I have missed my garden, dog, walks, and freedom, but this experience is priceless. However, I don’t want to repeat it with zero police presence and no security.
I know Costa and Coca-Cola will miss me as their sales of sugary fruit-flavoured drinks and smoothies increased after some customers saw my display. Still, I won’t miss that part if it means people are consuming extra sugar served in unfriendly, shiny packaging.
For me, when things go wrong, that is life calling for a significant change, and I cannot wait to see a positive change on my High Street
