Fine food and drink imported by wind-powered, carbon neutral shipping will arrive in Ramsgate next month.
New Dawn Traders is an experimental business, working with cargo vessels to import fine produce from across the Atlantic Ocean and along European coastlines. The company is bridging the gap between small producers and customers in the UK using vessels that create no impact on the environment.
All products are of cultural significance and curiosity, rather than shipping things that can be grown or produced in the UK. Customers are encouraged to purchase in advance, in bulk and in person, to reduce packaging and storage costs.
New Dawn Traders will bring olive oil, wine, salt, chocolate and more to Ramsgate, offering everyone the opportunity to collect their orders on the day from the ship itself, in partnership with Kent Port Ally and Kent Sail Cargo.
With a growing network of ships, producers and allies, New Dawn Traders is building new models of trade that put planet and people first. Cutting the supply chain down to its fundamental parts, farmers and producers load their cargo directly onto the ship, which then passes through no more hands before it’s collected by the buyer at the other end.
New Dawn Traders is calling for people to re-think their shopping habits and invest in the creation of a sustainable shipping economy. By purchasing in advance, the risk of the voyage is shared amongst the many; by collecting from the ship, distribution and storage needs are dramatically reduced; by buying in larger quantities for longer periods, packaging is reduced and money is saved.
Portuguese olive oil was the product that inspired the first journey. Working with an olive oil sommelier in Central Portugal, the company has now partnered with four olive farmers, all making olive oil in harmony with their local ecosystems. The product is bought for a fair price, shipped fossil fuel-free and imports a unique product that can’t be grown or produced in the UK.
New Dawn Traders’ latest voyage is aboard the Gallant, part of the Blue Schooner Company’s fleet, a former fishing lugger on the North Sea, built in 1916. It departed Porto, Portugal on August 7, and will dock in Ramsgate on September 18, also making stops in Bristol, Penzance, Newhaven, London and Great Yarmouth.
Orders for the region are handled by Kent Sail Cargo, as New Dawn Traders’ Port Ally for Ramsgate. All products can be ordered from www.newdawntraders.com, with collection and delivery options available.
