Leon co-founder Henry Dimbleby has launched venture capital firm Bramble Partners to improve the security, health and environmental impacts of the food production.
With a £50 million backing, Bramble Partners will invest in food businesses that already have customers “across the entire food system”, from “farm to fork”.
He revealed that five areas will benefit from the fund: new agriculture and fishing technologies; alternative production systems such as vertical farming; health and nutrition; monitoring and management; and other businesses such as those specialising in waste reduction.
Dimbleby wrote on LinkedIn: “The current global food system is disastrous both for our bodies and our planet: it is the single biggest cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss, drought and fresh-water pollution, and the second-biggest cause of greenhouse gas emissions. In the UK, it is also by far the biggest cause of preventable illness and death.
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“Things have to change — and in fact, they already are. There are fantastic new businesses springing up all over the food system, using both cutting-edge technology and old wisdom to create better ways of feeding the world,” he continued.
“We believe there is a significant opportunity for Bramble to accelerate change by championing these pioneering companies. We want to help UK entrepreneurs deliver what politicians have not yet been able to.”
It is not the first time that Dimbleby has lobbied for better food systems in the UK.
During 2018 to 2023, he was appointed by the government to carry out an independent review of England’s food system, resulting in The National Food Strategy which produced its final report in the summer of 2021, suggesting measures that the government could take to help improve UK food systems.
Dimbleby founded Leon with John Vincent in 2004. The chain was sold to Asda owner EG GRoup in 2021. Dimbleby also co-founded The Sustainable Restaurant Association in 2008, with a vision of creating a clear intersection between the sustainable food movement and the hospitality industry.
