We created atis to reflect a modern approach to eating; to not only serve delicious food but to do it in a balanced, moderate way that didn’t lean too heavily on trends. Not only do salads and warm bowls offer a great medium for balance and complete nutrition, but they also offer a medium to create a food company with a difference; predominantly plant-based food that is sustainably sourced from people we know and trust. The care over our suppliers allows us to serve food that is real, fresh, and house-made – atis’ core objective. I have also taken heart in the training weeks at the level of pride that our staff took in the creation of our food – it gave me confidence that we were doing the right thing. Operating a plant-forward company means that we can take care over the wider (i.e. non produce) suppliers we use; for instance eco-friendly packaging and non-landfill waste management.

The animal products we do currently sell – chicken, cheese and eggs – have been sourced from suppliers that we have personally vetted and are all farmed in a way that is sustainable (focussing on environment impact) and with the animal’s quality of life in mind. We purposefully do not sell beef or lamb for that reason. We haven’t as yet been able to sell sustainably sourced salmon or trout at a sensible lunch-orientated price, so don’t.

atis also reflects our approach to food as a couple. Ellie is predominantly vegetarian (occasionally eats fish) and I am not; but I increasingly try to rebalance the food I eat and the first step for me was to approach food as being complete without animal products. That is where the idea for the vegan/vegetarian base bowls came from – they are complete in their own right but if you choose to add extra protein you can and we offer you the flexibility to do so. We are not saying that people should not eat meat – we encourage people to eat less of it, but when they do we believe it is important to take care over it’s quality (and quality of life).

We tried to make the store modern, welcoming and overall a fun environment to meet colleagues and friends – a place to reclaim your break and to truly enjoy the time you have away from work, rather than simply walking into somewhere to pick up food.

We are so happy that you are reading this and look forward to welcoming you in store – please get in touch with any feedback. My email is [email protected]