We won’t budge our commitment to seeing sustainably managed and sourced timber and timber products used across the UK. It’s good news for our forests and woodlands, and it’s good news for you. The Grown in Britain (GiB) certification puts you in control, helping you make informed choices about what you buy and exactly where it has come from.

Did you know this includes charcoal?

Yes, that’s right, the charcoal you’ll use on your barbecue to give the perfect smoky flavour to your al fresco dining.

One of the ways you can make a difference is by choosing how and where you get your charcoal this year. Imported charcoal is often linked to deforestation, pollution from poorly performing kilns and labour violations. 

We want to change this, by supporting UK charcoal suppliers so you can buy sustainably and ethically without compromising on quality.

We spoke with Matt Edmonds (known on Instagram as Matt The FireWizard), Founder of Stag Charcoal (Abingdon, Cambridgeshire), a certified GiB supplier, about his journey and GiB certification…

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Tell us about your name, Stag Charcoal?

Stag Charcoal was the result of lots of conversations with lots of people. The Stag is an iconic image of our UK woodlands – the ‘King of the Forest.’ In the same way, I wanted Stag Charcoal to be known as the best British charcoal, combining quality with complete commitment to sustainability.

Lofty aspirations, but you have to have goals!

You’re charcoal experts. What exactly does your business do?

We make charcoal and charcoal products, working closely with our partners at GiB. Our most obvious product is the charcoal you’d use on your barbecue, but we also make Biochar for use in garden soil, along with artists’ charcoal.

We’re certified GiB providers, so with Stag Charcoal, you know you’re supporting the environment, biodiversity, and woodland ecosystems here in the UK.

By being certified with GiB, we’re protecting UK forests and woodlands. The import figures for timber and charcoal coming into the country are crazily high, but they don’t have to be… and we’re helping them fall. When you buy from Stag, you know we’re 100% UK-based, meaning you’re reducing unnecessary and unsustainable imports of something we’re making beautifully here.

Stag Charcoal began in 2017. What led you to start a UK charcoal business?

That’s right. It began in 2017 when I was working in woodland management. I was able to take timber as payment and had a ready supply, so it made perfect sense to explore using that resource. The push I needed came from a chance meeting with a timber buyer who was already making charcoal. This was an industry heavily reliant on imports, and I could see a UK-based solution in front of me.

With support from a rural development grant from Eastern Plateau and matched funding from Lloyds, I purchased the equipment needed to make charcoal.

Burning question. How do you make charcoal?

I bought something called a Pressvess Retort. It was the first of its kind, named RTS1000.

Before the RTS1000, UK charcoal was made using basic ring kilns or earth burns. Neither of these methods were efficient or, crucially, good for the environment. The retort used a separate firebox that indirectly heated the ‘charge wood,’ which is what we call the wood we’re turning into charcoal.

The wood is stacked in a separate, sealed chamber. When the volatile wood gases are released, they ignite and “cook” the wood without oxygen being present. This part is called Pyrolysis, and the result is high carbon content charcoal. Once it’s cooled and packed, it’s ready for the barbecue.

Do people link charcoal and barbecues to forest management?

Not always, it’s true, but actually your consumer choices do impact the future of our forests.

You’re not here for a cooking lesson, and I wouldn’t deem myself fit to ‘serve’ you one. However, we know there’s something special about great food cooked on a charcoal barbecue. That smoky flavour is, without doubt, part of our summer.

When you fire up the barbecue, the type of charcoal you use matters more than you might think. It’s easy to grab the nearest bag of imported charcoal at your petrol station or garden centre. Even though it’s convenient, you’d be surprised to think about where it came from and how it was made.

I always ask – in the same way you might consider sustainably sourced timber, do you know where your charcoal came from, or its sustainability and environmental impact?

In the UK, we use tonnes of charcoal every year. Buying UK charcoal for your barbecue is one way you can protect UK forests and woodland – straight away, today!

Is Stag Charcoal a viable UK alternative to imported charcoal?

Absolutely. The UK is blessed with lots of timber, but unfortunately, we continue to import huge amounts of timber into the UK unnecessarily for things like construction… and, yes, charcoal. Imports are less sustainable for many reasons, including losing control of the sourcing and production processes throughout the entire supply chain.

Our woodlands and forests in the UK have everything we need to support a more sustainable, environmentally friendly timber industry. What’s needed is careful management of our trees and woodlands. That’s where GiB and their certification scheme come in.

Tell us about the GiB certification scheme

GiB aims to reduce imports by encouraging and supporting active and sustainable management of UK forests and woodlands. When we look after our own trees, they’ll look after us.

By becoming GiB certified, UK companies manufacturing timber, forest products, and charcoal like myself show their timber products come from sustainably managed woodlands, with transparency through their entire supply chain. Committing to this supports biodiversity, reduces the carbon footprint of imported goods, and helps rural economies thrive.

How has GiB certification supported your business?

The GiB team have supported us in so many ways and the certification itself gave Stag Charcoal credibility. When I started, I was competing against cheaper, often poorly made, imported charcoal, but GiB certification meant I could prove my wood was UK-sourced and responsibly managed.

So, for anyone buying Grown in Britain, you have full assurance the timber has been grown sustainably and legally in the UK. Everything is in line with the government’s Timber Procurement Policy and UK Forestry Standard.

We’re proud of it, and we love to shout about it. Sustainability is at the heart of our values and what we do… and it’s important to customers as well.

You relocated recently. How are you doing on your green charcoal mission?

We’re doing well. I moved from Hertfordshire to Cambridgeshire in 2022, and shortly after, relocated the business. It was the right move as I was determined to scale up and take Stag Charcoal to the next level.

In some ways, it meant starting almost from scratch, rebuilding infrastructure, securing timber supply, and adjusting to a new production setup. The difference was, we knew much more than before.

How has your production setup changed?

In 2024, I made the leap and invested in the RTS1600, the largest single-barrel retort Pressvess makes.

It’s 10 tonnes of British engineering, and it changed everything. Instead of hand-loading, it uses a cassette system, which improves efficiency and allows us to run more frequent burns with a much higher output.

We combined this with our new infrastructure, new handling equipment, and a custom-built charcoal grader from Brian Pike Handling. We also ditched the generator and bought a heavy duty lithium PowerPack with enough power to grade three batches of charcoal and power the bag stitcher – it is rechargebale using solar energy so completely green energy.

Tell us your range of charcoal and its quality

Different woods produce different flavours and burn characteristics, which both home BBQ lovers and professional chefs appreciate. It’s about quality over quantity. Every batch is made with care, graded, and bagged with precision. As you’d expect, there’s no glue, no staples, just good paper sacks and a stitched closure.

Our single-species charcoal is one of the things we’re most proud of. Our range includes Alder, Ash, Wild Cherry and Silver Birch. Every year, more retailers are getting on board and choosing to buy (and sell) British. They’re choosing Stag charcoal, making it easier for people to choose the right option.

And you’ve diversified into BioChar as well?

Yes. BioChar is charcoal used in agriculture as a soil improver that enhances growth, traps carbon and improves drought resistance. Our BioChar is 100% pure, ready to be mixed with compost. It’s a fantastic example of different ways we can take advantage of UK production.

Sum it up for us. Why should we be buying GiB-certified charcoal?

Where do I begin?

First, you can be sure our method produces high-carbon charcoal that lights easily and burns hotter and longer. Second, think sustainability. Imported charcoal is often linked to deforestation and is produced in polluting kilns. Ours is made in clean, efficient British-built retorts, using UK timber from well-managed woodlands. Finally, with GiB certification, you know exactly where it came from. You get peace of mind from having the highest quality and knowing you’re playing your part in supporting the environment.

Finally, what do you want consumers to know when choosing charcoal?

I want them to pause and think. You have a choice.

Cheap imported charcoal might save you a few pounds, but the environmental and ethical cost is far greater. By buying GiB-certified charcoal, you’re supporting sustainable woodland management, local economies, and better barbecues… right here in our nation.

Plus, I’m convinced. Our charcoal just smells and performs better… our customers vouch for it.

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 Alongside the carbon, Matt and Stag Charcoal have captured what we’re all about at GiB. When buying GiB-certified charcoal and other timber products, you can trust that it’s been done right throughout all parts of the supply chain. From sustainably managed woodlands, through to manufacture and delivery, you can buy with confidence.

It’s a small decision, with a big impact.

If you’re not near Great Abington, there are lots of other GiB-certified charcoal suppliers like Matt; see the directory for more information.