Tag Archive for: Carbon

Carbon Gold exceeds target

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Carbon Gold exceeds target: Carbon Gold, the world’s leading supplier of biochar to gardeners and professional crop growers alike, has surpassed its crowdfunding goal of £200,000, raising a total of £722,468.

The company began fundraising in December 2020 to increase its retail marketing efforts, and fund international development and manufacturing. In just one month it has attracted over 1,000 investors, far exceeding the initial funding target.

Carbon Gold exceeds target

Carbon Gold exceeds target

Founded by Craig Sams, ex-chairman of the Soil Association and founder of Green & Blacks Chocolate, Carbon Gold has built a strong reputation, providing biochar products to gardeners as well as commercial crop growers, professional tree care experts, sports turf greenkeepers and even competition veg growers.

The Crowdcube initiative was spurred on by an incredible year for Carbon Gold’s retail offering to home-growers and gardeners, who are increasingly discovering the benefits of biochar, with retail sales increasing 253% in 2020.

Managing Director Mike Hartshorn, says, “We’re thrilled to have shot past our fundraising target by over half a million pounds.  It’s fantastic that the company’s story and our biochar products have been so well received by investors and the general public.”

“2020 was a tough year for people, and the various lockdowns put a lot of strain on them.  But those lucky enough to have a garden were spending more time outside and were researching what products to use and it seems lots of them have unearthed the best kept secret of the professionals – biochar.”

Biochar is a high-carbon form of charcoal that is Soil Association approved for organic growing, peat-free and scientifically proven to boost plant health and vitality.  Plants grown in biochar have been shown to be more resistant to a wide range of plant diseases and pests.  It’s also so high in carbon that using it lowers your carbon footprint: for every kilo you put in the ground, 3 kilos of CO2 are permanently sequestered from the atmosphere.

Craig Sams says, “Every investor is a potential customer and an ambassador for the brand.  There is no recommendation like peer-to-peer recommendation.  We are delighted to have a body of satisfied customers as well as investors to support our future growth.”

For more information about Carbon Gold or its biochar products, visit, www.carbongold.com.

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Carbon Gold & Carbofex Join Forces

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Carbon Gold & Carbofex Join Forces: Biochar companies Carbon Gold and Carbofex have signed an MOU to establish a commercial agreement that will strengthen both companies’ position in the UK and European markets.  

Carbon Gold, the world leading supplier of biochar to commercial crop growers, tree care specialists and sports turf professionals in the UK and Europe, has partnered with Finland-based Carbofex, industrial-scale biochar manufacturer with proprietary technology that allows for the production of very pure (low PAH) and active (600 m3/g) biochar, certified by the EBC and with access to the PURO CO2 removal marketplace.

Carbon Gold & Carbofex Join Forces

The collaboration will see Carbon Gold and Carbofex agree terms on the production and distribution of biochar, the ownership of the resulting carbon credits, and other potential synergies or commercial opportunities which may benefit both companies.

Simon Manley, CEO of Carbon Gold, says, “We’ve long been friendly with Carbofex and this partnership comes at a really critical time for both companies.  We’re both looking for investment to scale up, and this joint venture makes us more attractive to potential strategic investment partners.  And with a no-deal Brexit becoming ever more likely, having manufacturing bases in the UK and mainland Europe is invaluable for both parties.  Carbofex is a trail blazer in Europe and we’re thrilled to be working with them more formally.”

Sampo Tukianen, CEO of Carbofex, says, “We’ll both gain access to new markets as a result of this collaboration. Carbon Gold is the leader in biochar and Carbofex will benefit greatly from the products, science, branding and market reach they’ve established over the years.  And our EBC certification and registration with PURO for carbon removal trading brings new routes to market for Carbon Gold.  It’s very exciting.”

For more information, visit www.carbongold.com.

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Carbon Gold Seek Strategic Partner

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Carbon Gold Seek Strategic Partner: Carbon Gold, the world leader in carbon-rich soil amendments, is seeking investment from a strategic partner to accelerate growth in new and existing markets.

Carbon Gold, founded by Craig Sams, founder of Green & Blacks Chocolate and former chairman of the Soil Association, has pioneered and commercialised the use of proprietary carbon-rich soil amendments, proving the benefits of biochar and establishing its product range as commercially viable in the global tree care, commercial crop growing and sports turf industries.

Carbon Gold Seek Strategic Partner

Now the company is seeking a strategic partner who can offer the resources and efficiencies to scale up operations and maximise potential in this fast growth market.

Simon Manley, CEO of Carbon Gold, says: “The market for carbon-rich soil amendments is at a tipping point. We have a proven product range in markets that offer significant scale and regulatory drivers are furthering demand.  We are now seeking a strategic partner that shares our mission to support sustainable agriculture and combat climate change.”

Carbon Gold’s products contain biochar – a high carbon form of charcoal that improves the structure, aeration, water-holding capacity and nutrient retention of all soil types and provides a permanent refuge for beneficial soil microbiology, supporting plant health.

Biochar’s role in achieving the UK’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 is recognised as critical by the Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have described biochar as an important Negative Emissions Technology.

Manley continues: “Carbon Gold is a first mover in this market; we’ve proven the concept in key sales channels and we are now ready to expand into this exciting opportunity. Sustainable agriculture and climate change have never been more front and centre in the news agenda and, with so many chemical pesticides, fungicides and stimulants being removed from the market in horticulture and sports turf, an established, well-known brand with a proven organic alternative presents a fantastic opportunity for a potential partner.”

Carbon Gold’s products are enriched with fungi, beneficial bacteria and trace minerals. Treated plants have been shown to have increased tolerance to pests and diseases including ash dieback, honey fungus, horse chestnut leaf miner in trees, fusarium in turf and root mat in tomatoes, and environmental pressures including drought and transplant shock in third-party controlled trials.

The company’s products are approved as organic in the UK and other European markets. They are FSC certified and approved for use in biodynamic systems by Demeter and the UK’s Biodynamic Association.  This year Carbon Gold’s Soil Improver received B-Exemption for use in Dutch Horticulture from the RHP.

To find out more about biochar, visit www.carbongold.com.

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Carbon Gold Success At Mullion GC

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Carbon Gold Success At Mullion GC: With more and more chemical fungicides getting banned, how can Greenkeepers keep their turf healthy?  A chance encounter at the 2018 BTME conference in Harrogate led Mullion Golf Club to the answer…  

Mullion Golf Club is the most southernly course in the country, just a few miles north of Lizard Point in Cornwall.  Being right on the coast, it’s under constant barrage from the Atlantic winds and, as such, often suffers salt damage, irrigation issues and disease outbreaks, particularly on the 14th green which is considered the club’s problematic green, sited on a cliff and constantly being awashed with salty air from the Atlantic Ocean. The green was built with a fine sand and has always struggled to get good rooting.   

Carbon Gold Success At Mullion GC

Head Greenkeeper, Gordon Tamblyn, happened upon Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar Turf Improver at the Sherriff Amenity stand at the BIGGA’s annual exhibition BTME at the start of 2018 and was intrigued. 

Biochar is a high-carbon, purified form of charcoal that improves the structure, aeration and water-holding capacity of soil.  Its chemical stability means it doesn’t break down, making it a one-time application, and its porous structure provides a permanent refuge for beneficial microbiology.  

Carbon Gold’s biochar is enriched with mycorrhizae, Trichoderma, seaweed and wormcasts and has been shown to improve the health and vitality of turf, improve grass rooting, reduce irrigation costs, eliminate the need for fungicides and dramatically reduce the need to put down fertiliser in trials by Sherriff Amenity.  

In March, during the Clubs greens renovations, Mullion’s 14th green had been hollow-tined ready to have Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar Turf Improver swept into the Rootzone.   

“I was intrigued by Carbon Gold’s Turf Improver because the science around biology made a lot of intuitive sense and the trial results were impressive, plus the fact that it reduces costs and is a one-time application, it was definitely worth a shot.  I’m always looking for new ways of improving soil structure, preventing disease and promoting the Fescue grasses, due to the nature of our environment at Mullion owing to how exposed to the elements we are.” 

Gordon Tamblyn, Head Green Keeper, Mullion Golf Club 

The biochar was used in conjunction with mycorrhizae inoculants and, eight months on, despite an outbreak of Fusarium this Autumn, the 14th green is completely disease free, the grass is showing better rooting, feels firmer and is looking much healthier.  

“I’m really impressed by the fact that our biggest problem-green is a lot healthier, firmer and is disease free.  And the rooting is impressive, I noticed there’s absolutely no break-off when changing holes.” 

Gordon Tamblyn, Head Green Keeper, Mullion Golf Club 

As a result of the trial, Gordon is applying Turf Improver to its putting green and would like to incorporate it to the rest of the course, permanently improving the health of Mullion Golf Club’s turf. 

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Carbon Gold Achieves Business Certification

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Carbon Gold Achieves Business Certification: Carbon Gold, the Bristol-based supplier of enriched biochar to the turf, arb and grower markets in the UK and Europe, has achieved B Corp status.

The certification, which is a global standard used to measure a for-profit company’s social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, is described as being to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee.

Carbon Gold Achieves Business Certification

The accreditation means Carbon Gold has successfully surpassed the rigorous standards set by the non-profit B Lab to become certified as a conscientious business that operates sustainably in its markets, cares for its employees, and has a positive impact on the world.

Craig Sams, Executive Chairman at Carbon Gold, says, “Carbon Gold has always been about making a difference.  Whether that’s helping trees flourish in the face of pests and diseases, boosting commercial growers’ yields to help them meet growing demand and stay profitable, or sequestering carbon permanently in soil to combat climate change.  It’s important that, as a business, we reflect those positive commercial goals.”

“I think in the corporate world, if you were to think of companies as people, you wouldn’t want to be friends with a lot of them.  From the beginning, we’ve always said we would not operate like that.  We want our team to enjoy working for us and we want our customers and commercial partners to enjoy being part of our stakeholder group.”

Kate Sandle, Community Manager at B Lab UK, says, “As a movement of companies who believe business can be a force for good, we are delighted to welcome Carbon Gold to the B Corp community.  We need more businessmen like Craig Sams to champion the health of our planet.  The addition of Carbon Gold to our diverse community is important to continue driving the change we seek across all sectors.”

B-Corp status is the latest in a suite of accreditations for Carbon Gold which is also FSC certified, approved by the Soil Association for use in organic food production, approved for use in biodynamic systems through the globally recognised Demeter standard, and corporate members of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).

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