His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales returned to Rainbarrow Farm yesterday to formally open the next exciting development that will contribute further to the site’s overall sustainability. He originally opened the UK’s first commercial biomethane anaerobic digestor (AD) plant on the site in October 2012.
Since then, the business has expanded to generate and supply biomethane to reach 7,500 homes in winter and 100,000 in summer, Poundbury being around 2,800. In 2017, with support from His Royal Highness, the team launched Bloomin Amazing – a by-product from the AD plant which has since become a leading brand in the soil conditioner, mulch and planting mix segment of the growing media market.
The purpose of the visit yesterday was to celebrate the latest innovation at Rainbarrow Farm which will see the capture and sale of all the waste carbon dioxide from the AD plant. CO2 is collected and sold on to local horticultural businesses where it is used in fruit growing and the production of local beer and cider. The Prince of Wales spent time touring the site and spoke with the team before unveiling a plaque marking the occasion.
Nick Finding, Managing Director commented “This whole project would never have happened without The Prince’s influence and enthusiasm. He has been a strong advocate and supporter of the whole project right from the start. We are delighted to have been able to welcome him back for another visit to see how the whole business has grown and developed.”
Bloomin Amazing has featured consistently in the GTN Growing Media Best Sellers chart since 2018 and is now listed in over 350 garden centres Nationwide.