newsnow | Malcolm Rands Speaker

In conversation - Wellington, NZ

"Talkin about entrepreneurship, start-ups and business"

Malcolm Rands, Founder and CEO of EcoStore

When Malcolm and Melanie Rands started ecostore in 1993 they had a dream to create a healthier more sustainable world. Since 1994, ecostore have researched and brought to market, New Zealand’s leading range of healthier, eco friendlier household cleaners, body care and baby products with a focus on looking after the health and wellbeing of people as well as the planet.

While initially sold by mail order through a catalogue, the ecostore range of over 100 products are now available in all supermarkets and health stores throughout New Zealand, in over 1,800 supermarkets in Australia, the USA and Asia.

‘Eco science’ is rapidly developing and ecostore’s team of chemists (assisted by Sir Ray Avery) continually review and refine product formulations as new science comes to hand.

Malcolm has been active in the sustainable scene for over 33 years. He co-founded New Zealand’s first permaculture eco-village in 1986, and was a foundation member of the New Zealand Sustainable Business Network. He has been awarded the Green Ribbon Award from the Ministry for the Environment, plus two environmental awards from the Auckland Regional Council and most recently Malcolm has been added to the World Class New Zealand International Network. ecostore was awarded the New Zealand Sustainable Business of the Year in 2010. In 2013 he released his book called ‘ecoman’ which encompasses his personal and entrepreneurial life, the 20 years of ecostore’s remarkable development and his courage to take on the multinationals and create safer plant based products for our health that really work.

In September 2014 ecostore launched a world first by being the only manufacturer to convert all of its proprietary bottles to a plastic made from sugarcane. ecostore calls it their Carbon Capture™ Pak because as sugarcane grows it captures CO2 from the atmosphere, that is then stored in the plastic. This natural process actually reduces their carbon footprint, which can help to reduce climate change.

Malcolm is the chair of ecostore’s not for profit arm, the Fairground Foundation.