Sophie Kovic was born and raised in the Byron Bay area of NSW Australia. While she is an entrepreneur having set up four businesses, three of these have failed and she admits that her current business, Seed & Sprout, is in trouble.
Sophie Kovic on Why She founded Seed & Sprout
Sophie Kovic talks about the motivation behind Seed & Sprout
Well, having grown up in Byron Bay, I encountered a significant challenge when my son Archie began attending the local school a couple of years ago. I struggled to find an environmentally friendly yet practical lunch container for him.
The school had a commendable no-disposables policy, which thrilled me! I was enthusiastic about being part of a school that truly cared.
However, putting this policy into practice proved to be more difficult than I anticipated.
Now, I don’t want to imply that Archie is picky, but I was genuinely concerned about his carrot sticks coming into contact with the pasta. It was a big deal for me.
I attempted numerous solutions, and I mean A LOT.
Believe me, you wouldn’t want to see the state of my Tupperware collection.
However, each product I purchased presented its own set of issues.
No matter how much money I spent, I couldn’t find a suitable non-plastic lunch container that met our needs. They either had too many components to keep track of, had an awkward shape, contained toxic materials, were too bulky for Archie to carry, or the unforgivable sin, they couldn’t accommodate a sandwich. (Seriously, who does that?)
That’s when a light bulb went off in my head… I couldn’t just let it go.
I made the decision to create a revolutionary lunch box that would solve a genuine problem, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive!
Watching people use our products has been an absolute delight…
Since our launch in 2016, we’ve maintained an almost exclusively 5-star review rating from our delighted customers.
Additionally, our initial Kickstarter campaign not only surpassed its funding goal by 696%, but it was also fully backed within 48 hours!
Contrary to my expectations, it’s not only kids who are utilizing our products. Adults also love packing practical, waste-free lunches.
However, what truly solidified my commitment was the underlying meaning behind it all.
I had previous experience in building businesses based on market research. However, this time I knew that I was on the cusp of something truly significant.
Knowing that I’m making a positive contribution to the world is what keeps me passionate about the business each day.
Because building a business isn’t a walk in the park. It’s exhausting, at times isolating, and frankly, quite terrifying.
But when I read the reviews or receive messages from people who share how my lunch boxes have inspired them or made them a better parent, every single moment becomes worthwhile.
My vision for Seed & Sprout is to establish a practical company that produces tools for everyday individuals. Tools that facilitate making healthy choices effortlessly.
Our ultimate aim is to reduce dependence on single-use plastics.
Occasionally, the commitment to a sustainable future may appear overwhelming. The tasks ahead may seem daunting, and we might feel small and insignificant.
However, fixating solely on the ideal can hinder progress in the present.
That’s why I’m committed to creating practical products that bridge the gap between the ideal and taking action. Products designed for everyday people.
And I want all of you to be part of this journey.
I want to share the decision-making processes, the challenges, and the victories. I want to establish an environment where everyone’s voice can be heard and where your input shapes the future.
So please, join me and the ever-growing number of individuals making a genuine difference to our environment.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Sophie Kovic Founder of Seed & Sprout Co.
Our purpose is to minimize harm and maximize positive impact.
We advocate for Equality and Respect towards People and the Planet, and we are dedicated to creating a better future.
At Seed & Sprout, we are deeply committed to developing exquisite, functional, innovative, and ethical products that reduce the impact on our magnificent world. Every action we take is carried out with great care. We continuously explore ways to restore and safeguard our shared home.
We thoroughly examine every aspect of our operations.
We actively seek and test alternative production methods, constantly striving to find innovative solutions to everyday challenges. Our materials are consciously sourced to minimize harm to the Earth’s precious resources, and we aim to be pioneers in ethical and sustainable products that cater to the needs of our extended Seed & Sprout community, our family.
Our goal is for you to feel proud of your choices and to know that we are here to support you on your journey toward sustainability, sprinkled with a touch of lightheartedness because, let’s face it, climate change is a serious matter!
Thank you for joining our movement!
Our Dedication to Climate Change and Environmental Conservation
Our planet is invaluable, and we are committed to protecting it to the best of our ability. At Seed & Sprout, we proudly implement several initiatives to ensure just that.
100% Emissions-Free
In our Billinudgel headquarters and warehouse, we utilize solar panels, enabling us to operate completely emissions-free. In fact, in 2020, we generated three times the amount of solar energy we needed, with the excess power being returned to the grid for others to utilize.
Seed & Sprout Headquarters and Warehouse | Billinudgel, NSW
Packaging
We repurpose cardboard boxes and shred them for protective packaging in our orders, said Sophie Kovic founder of Seed & Sprout. Our mailer boxes are produced in Australia by a local company, using recycled cardboard and shipped without plastic, ensuring that our packaging materials can be recycled or composted at home.
End-of-Life Considerations for All Products
Right from the beginning, we design our products with their end-of-life in mind. We meticulously evaluate every component of the product and its packaging to ensure their suitability. All our new products must meet one of the following criteria:
Long-lasting and recyclable at their end-of-life. Additionally, we offer spare parts to extend the lifespan of durable, high-quality products.
Compostable: Certain products in our cleaning and personal care range have a high turnover and are designed to be compostable.
Zero Waste: Our Bar range aims to leave no waste behind at the end of its life cycle.
For our silicone products that have reached the end of their life cycle, we offer a Take Back Program, recycling them through Terracycle.
We have also partnered with Upparel, a company dedicated to reducing textile waste in landfills. By sending them a box of your unwanted clothes or textiles, you’ll receive a $25 discount on your next order with us! Learn more here.
Promoting Sustainable Practices in the Workplace
We encourage our staff to work from home whenever possible to reduce travel emissions. Many of our employees also engage in carpooling.
Our office conducts paperless meetings, and we encourage our team members to use reusable containers for takeaway coffees and lunches.
We have installed a SubPod in our garden, composting all of our food waste, with the aim of achieving zero waste to landfill at our head office by the end of 2021.
Our latest sustainable initiative is our office garden, where we use compost generated from food waste to cultivate our own vegetables, fruits, and flowers for the bees!
Our garden also features a Flowhive, a bee-friendly beehive that harvests honey with minimal disruption to the bees. The bees play a crucial role in pollinating local plants and positively impacting the environment.
Our staff have access to a variety of loose-leaf teas from Mayde, reducing waste during tea breaks.
Each team hosts a monthly plastic-free lunch, supporting local businesses. During our last luncheon, several team members brought their own large pots to take food from the restaurant back to our office.
We are constantly seeking new ways to further our efforts, and our Sustainability Working Group regularly convenes to discuss ideas and share knowledge. We are doing everything within our power to minimize our impact on this magnificent planet we call home.
Giving Back
Supporting charities and organizations within our local community is a crucial part of our journey. We have been fortunate to collaborate with numerous local and global charities to aid causes that are close to our hearts.
While we are proud of our accomplishments thus far, our work is far from over. We have exciting projects in the works, and we can’t wait to share them with you!
The Palm Oil Discovery
In February 2021, we became aware of a distressing revelation: some of our products may contain traces of Palm Oil.
We are acutely aware that Palm Oil continues to contribute significantly to the deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, endangering critically endangered species reliant on these ecosystems for survival.
In response to these findings, our team has dedicated ourselves to education, collaboration with Orangutan Alliance, and supporting efforts to combat this global issue.
Orangutan Alliance
We have donated $50,000 to Orangutan Alliance, an independent, non-profit organization, and registered charity that serves as a palm oil-free certification body. They provide support for reforestation, orangutan rescue, and other meaningful projects that counteract the devastation caused by the Palm Oil Industry while promoting the development of alternative ingredients. Learn more about this charity here.
Since our inception until February 2021, we have planted a tree for every order received. Currently, our planet loses over 15 billion trees annually, equivalent to 56 acres of forest per minute! In our effort to address this global issue, we take pride in having planted thousands of trees.
Here’s a breakdown of our efforts:
In response to the Amazon fires in 2019, we focused on the Amazon Rainforest. Through one of our quarterly donations, we were able to plant over 10,000+ trees in this region alone!
In 2020, we planted over 36,000+ trees in locations such as the Sierra Gorda Reserve in Mexico, the Boreal Forest in Canada, the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India, and the Mount Elgon area of Uganda. Additionally, we planted over 20,000+ trees across Australia through the WWF tree planting initiative as part of the Towards Two Billion Trees campaign.
