Is Organic a Shortcut to Better? Panel & Curated Wine Tasting at The Conduit – Recap

On 25th September 2026 we held a panel discussion and curated wine tasting at The Conduit for Organic September. It explored the question: Is Organic a Shortcut to Better?

Organic September 2026 invites us to see choosing organic as ‘A Shortcut to Better’ – a simple, everyday choice that can contribute to something better. But how straightforward is that promise?

Our panel will brought together voices from farming, nutrition and retail to explore what organic really means, what benefits it delivers, what holds consumers back and what would need to change for organic to become more mainstream.

The discussion at The Conduit was followed by a curated organic wine tasting, bringing the debate to life through the vineyard and the glass.

Meet our speakers:

Sam Ratanji is a Nutritional Therapist, Chef and Food Educator with a deep understanding of how healthy soil and quality food can nourish both people and planet. Founder of The Life Larder, a Soil Association Ambassador and former Course Director at the College of Naturopathic Medicine’s Natural Chef School, Sam helps empower people with delicious, nutritious food and stories that benefit the environment.

Alys Bannister is Sustainable Farming Campaign Manager at Sustain : the alliance for better food and farming, where she leads work to support the transition to agroecological farming and fairer food and farming systems. Working across policy, advocacy and coalition-building, Alys works with government and the wider food and farming sector on issues including environmental land management, supply chain fairness and horticulture.

Maisie Collins is a chef, food activist and founder of Hearth, a social enterprise bakery in Hackney Wick. With nearly 20 years’ experience across dining and grassroots community food projects, Maisie is committed to dismantling the disconnect in our food systems. She champions a strict farm-to-table approach that proves how hospitality can be a powerful vehicle for collective care, sustainability and systemic change.

Sarah-Janes Husser,  is Founder and Managing Director of RougeVin, a UK wine business spanning importing, distribution and retail. She specialises in corporate and private wine experiences, wine and cellar curation and hospitality concepts, bringing an exclusive, expertly curated approach to every glass. Through RougeVin, Sarah-Janes offers an exclusive selection of organic wines from renowned, family-owned independent growers in France.

Chaired by Mex Ibrahim & Catherine Archer, of The Conduit’s Health & Food Food Futures Community Group, attendees left with a clearer understanding of:

What organic means – what the label guarantees and how it differs from other approaches.

What difference it makes – for farming, the planet and potentially our health.

What holds organic back – including price, accessibility and consumer understanding.

What needs to change – to make organic a more mainstream part of the UK food system.

What organic means for wine – from vineyard practices to certification and taste.

Why This Conversation Matters:
Consumers face an increasingly complex landscape of food choices and claims. Organic is one of the most established and regulated approaches, yet it remains poorly understood and for many financially out of reach.

Against growing pressures on our food system, Organic September’s ‘A Shortcut to Better’ was a timely opportunity to test what organic genuinely delivers – for people, planet and food – where its limitations lie, and what needs to change to make it more accessible.

Rather than simply making the case for organic the event put the proposition to the test, before bringing the debate to life through a curated organic wine tasting.

Check out some of the organic wines from RougeVin’s website here.