The Way Forward 2045 Interview

The Way Forward 2045 is a new shop that opened on Cumnock’s Ayr Road at the end of last year. The shop offers zero waste and sustainably-sourced food and items, as well as a takeaway food & drink counter and a carbon literacy room. 

We had the pleasure of talking to staff member, Skye, to find out more about The Way Forward 2045. 

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Tell us about yourself, your journey and your role here

I completed a 12-month Digital marketing apprenticeship with the company which I really enjoyed. I’ve helped set up the company’s digital presence and assisted in setting up the shop and training room. 

We researched everything before the shop opened, to make sure that we were sourcing ethical products. 

I now work full-time here which involves various tasks including, helping and serving customers, re-stocking products and much more! 

Tell us more about The Way Forward 2045 and what’s on offer here 

Our vision is to make the world more sustainable, improve health and well-being and help in improving the community. Our vision was created from the United Nations Sustainable Development 17 Goals. You can find it online here

We picked 8 goals for our vision here at The Way Forward 2045 and our logo colours represent each of the goals chosen. 

We want sustainable living to be made more accessible and convenient for people. We supply a range of food cupboard staples in dispensers where people can fill their own containers (containers are provided in the shop too), weigh them, label and pay. Refillery goods include beans, pulses, pasta, vegan sweet range, baking goods, herbs and spices. We’re planning on getting fridges for chilled products so that you can get everything here in one place. 

We are always striving for our carbon footprint to be zero; the owner’s car is electric, we buy our products locally as much as possible, and we work with companies with a similar vision including Mossgiel Milk, Mauchline and Dear Green Coffee, Glasgow. 

Since opening on 17th December 2022, we have been so busy with a constant passing trade. Children absolutely love the shop, sometimes bringing in their reluctant parents but the parents then leave loving it all! 

Oh, and we sell a variety of eco-friendly products including toiletries, pet goods and more! We use as little plastic as possible. 

Wendy, the owner, is a lecturer at Strathclyde University and is qualified in carbon literacy training. So at the back of the shop, we have a room set up to deliver carbon training to individuals, businesses and the community. We’re also hoping to offer different classes here in the future, including pottery and painting. 

We’re a living wage employer too. 

What is the meaning of the name? 

We’ve added 2045 as it’s the year the Scottish Government has set its target date for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases,  explained in the climate change legislation. It covers our retail and takeaway side of the business. Learn more about it here

The Way Forward covers the learning and carbon literacy side. 

Our logo’s font is dyslexic friendly making it more accessible to all. 

Is there anything you would like us to know about The Way Forward 2045? 

People think that shopping here can be time-consuming as opposed to the supermarkets. However, the staff are here to help you. We advise that customers check their cupboards first to see what they need as this saves time (and waste too!)

We have all age ranges visit the shop and we’re accommodating to all. 

We offer a range of hot and cold drinks at our takeaway counter. Our Bubble Teas have been particularly popular! All packaging is decomposable, yip even our Bubble Tea containers! 

We also have a loyalty card for our lovely customers. 

What do you enjoy most about your role and what motivates you? 

I enjoy being creative, so I love the digital marketing side of things but also allowing my creativity to come across on the business side. 

I also feel so happy when helping people. When customers come in asking for something and we’ve got it in the shop, I feel grateful that we can help them. My favourite quote is -

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” from Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef.

Therefore, helping people in any way I can is heart-warming. 

I would like kids in the future so I want them to have the same opportunities in the world. I’m an outdoorsy person so I want my kids to see the world how I’ve seen it growing up, I want the world to get better, not worse, and that really motivates me. 

What are your favourite things about East Ayrshire?

I love Dumfries House, it’s one of East Ayrshire’s main attractions, and it never gets old - I really enjoy it every time I go. They also have a sustainable vision. 

I love how everyone knows each other; there’s a real sense of community. 

Describe Ayrshire Food & Drink

Hearty whole foods, made with love and comforting. 

What are your Opening Hours?

We’re open Monday-Saturday 10:30-20:45.

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An amazing concept and store, The Way Forward 2045 is a definite must-visit! Keep up-to-date with The Way Forward 2045 on Facebook.