African representatives of a Northamptonshire based fruit company today attended a reception in Pitsford in celebration of the company’s third Queens Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category. Blue Skies is one of only a few firms in the county to have won three Queen’s Awards.
Blue Skies Holdings Ltd was officially presented with the award by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for Northamptonshire, Mr David Laing, at a champagne reception held at the company’s headquarters at Spring Hill Farm in Pitsford. The award recognises the company’s contribution to sustainable development in Africa and South America by producing fresh-cut fruit and freshly squeezed juice, prepared within the country of origin.
During the reception staff from Ghana and South Africa spoke to guests about the company’s products and the positive impact the business has on local communities. The company’s CEO, John Toomey, spoke about the Blue Skies approach to sustainable development and its origins in Northamptonshire. He said “Blue Skies has grown from strength to strength because we believe that a business works best if it is inclusive, socially equal and profitable. We have factories in Africa and South America which collectively produce over thirty tons of prepared fruit every day, and we are proud to have started it all right here in Pitsford”.
