UWE Bristol’s Wild Kitchen is taking its sustainability ambitions to the next level through a new collaboration with Generation Soil, the community composting organisation founded by UWE Bristol alum and doctoral researcher Alex Montgomery. Together with the UWE Hospitality Team and UWE Bristol’s Sustainability Team, this partnership will see food waste from Wild Kitchen transformed into living, nutrient-rich compost – feeding back into the UWE Bristol Community Garden and helping regenerate soil health right here on campus.
Rethinking food waste through soil
For Alex Montgomery, soil isn’t just dirt – it’s a living system at the heart of everything we eat. As Founder and Director of Generation Soil and a Doctoral Researcher in UK Food Systems, he’s dedicated to reshaping how we think about food waste, soil health, and community resilience.
“Ninety-five per cent of our food comes from soil, yet around ninety per cent of soils could be degraded by 2050 if we don’t act now,” Alex explains. “Food waste doesn’t have to be a problem – it can be part of the solution. By composting locally, we can turn kitchen scraps into the foundation of future harvests.”
Generation Soil operates community composting hubs and delivers education projects that reconnect people with the land beneath their feet. The organisation was born from Alex’s time studying for an MSc in Sustainable Development in Practice at UWE Bristol, where his passion for circular food systems began to flourish.
Composting at the Wild Kitchen
Located on Frenchay Campus, Wild Kitchen is UWE Bristol’s first fully vegan café – serving fresh, 100% plant-based meals made with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. The Wild Kitchen is now closing the loop by composting its food waste through Generation Soil.
The resulting compost will be used to enrich the UWE Community Garden, supporting a thriving space where students and staff can grow food, learn practical skills, and experience first-hand how waste can be transformed into a resource that sustains new life.
A UWE Bristol partnership rooted in sustainability
This collaboration between the UWE Hospitality Team, Sustainability Team, and Generation Soil demonstrates how research, innovation, and community values can come together to create lasting environmental impact. It’s a local partnership with global relevance.