Leading bird feed manufacturer Johnston & Jeff is stripping more plastic from its packaging to help make its products among the most sustainable on the market.

Hot on the heels of launching paper sacks for its 12.75kg Selected Wild Bird Food, and No Mess, No Grow Wild Bird Food, the Yorkshire manufacturer has now launched its fully recyclable Eco-Boxes.

And along with the new boxes comes a new insect-based mix – Bugs, Grubs & Worms. 

The boxes are used to supply 1.5kg measures of Dried Calciworms, Dried Mealworms and Bugs, Grubs & Worms. 

Maddy Johnston, Marketing and Media Manager at Johnston & Jeff, said the move was another step towards greater sustainability in everything the business does. 

She said: “Quality is our watchword and we have always ensured our products are of the highest standard and quality we can produce. That is something we work hard to continuously build on; it is a journey that never ends. 

“We have now brought the same ethos into our packaging. Becoming more sustainable and creating more sustainable products is the biggest challenge businesses face and we want to do everything we can to meet that.

“Caring for wildlife isn’t just about providing great food, it is about caring for and protecting the environment they live in too. That’s why we’re dedicated to ensuring we get this journey right and we feel taking plastic out of as much of our packaging as possible is a great place to start. 

“Our new paper sacks are far more sustainable than the plastic sacks they replace, and our Eco-Boxes contain no plastic. 

“But we’re not stopping there. We have further big plans to continue reducing our carbon footprint and introduce more widely recyclable packaging to ensure we are as sustainable as possible.”

The launch of the Eco-Boxes coincides with the launch of Bugs, Grubs & Worms, Johnston & Jeff’s latest wild bird insect mix. 

The new mix is a blend of Dried Mealworms, Dried Crickets and Dried Silkworm Pupae, which provides high quality protein and essential nutrients needed for the renewal of cells and tissues.

Maddy said: “The Dried Mealworms provide a great source of insectivorous protein. Dried Crickets are low in fat and calories but high in essential nutrients such as calcium and iron and the Silkworm Pupae, which is also low in fat, is packed with vitamins and minerals and other essential fatty acids.

“It makes a fantastic addition to wild birds’ diets and is very beneficial in times of high stress for birds, such as winter, the nesting period and during the food gap, although it can be fed all year round. And as it comes in our new Eco-Box, it is great for the environment as well.”

Bugs, Grubs & Worms can be fed from a bird table, a suitable hanging feeder or a ground feeder.

For more information on Bugs, Grubs & Worms, go to https://johnstonandjeff.co.uk/portfolio-items/bugs-grubs-worms.