Bonnie & Wild in St James Quarter becomes the world's first food hall to gain B Corp status

Edinburgh's St James Quarter food hall has picked up a world first. Bonnie & Wild has become the first food hall anywhere to be certified as a B Corp, after meeting standards for its treatment of staff, community and the environment.

The certification followed an independent assessment by the non-profit B Lab. Bonnie & Wild scored 89.9, comfortably above the passing threshold of 80. According to B Lab, the average score for assessed businesses is 50.9.

The marketplace brings together 14 independent Scottish kitchens and speciality retailers under one roof and supports more than 100 jobs.

Managing director Ryan Barrie said he was enormously proud of the whole team for making Bonnie & Wild the first food hall in the world to become a certified B Corp. He said it meant guests could be assured that the money they spend is with a purpose-led business committed to championing Scottish entrepreneurs, supporting its teams and working to safeguard the wider environment.

The certification was completed as part of the Edinburgh B Corp 500 scheme, an initiative backed by Everyone's Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, which aims to see 500 firms in the capital certified by 2030. Mayan Grace, director of projects at the chamber, congratulated the team on their dedication throughout the cohort.

The food hall has continued to bring in new names this year. The List reported in June that chef Julie Lin was joining with her new venture Tacos Lah, and in its summer round-up noted that Eusebi Bakery, an offshoot of the Glasgow-based Italian deli, had become the latest addition.

The B Corp scheme assesses a business as a whole, so the result reflects how the hall is run behind the scenes as well as what is served at the counters.

For shoppers in the city centre, it remains one of the easiest ways to try several independent Scottish kitchens in one visit, whether for a quick lunch or a relaxed evening with friends.

Bonnie & Wild is on the top floor of St James Quarter. Details of its kitchens, opening hours and events are on the Bonnie & Wild website.