Just outside Edinburgh, Newhailes House & Gardens is one of the National Trust for Scotland’s standout heritage sites. Its busy café serves thousands of visitors each year.

This year, the team wanted to tackle a familiar challenge: how to cut single-use waste without complicating service. With sustainability central to the Trust’s mission, composting felt like the natural next step.

Working together, Vegware’s Environmental team and Newhailes introduced a simple, clear system built around plant-based packaging and local composting. Staff received tailored support and fresh café signage, and visitors quickly got the hang of it.

The results speak for themselves. Since March 2025, Newhailes has already collected 1.2 tonnes of used Vegware and food scraps which is all sent to a Scottish composting facility to be turned into nutrient-rich compost.

The success of the Newhailes café is now sparking interest across the wider National Trust for Scotland estate. A small change with big impact.