Cumnock's newest business is looking to offer a taste of something different to the town.

The Way Forward 2045 is a new store opened on the town's Ayr Road, offering a "zero carbon, zero plastic modern solution to combat the destruction".

Split into three sections, the shop on Ayr Road will supply refillable, plastic-free food products, a café and will also soon open a carbon literacy room to have businesses and community to come in and learn about how to become more carbon neutral.

The shop is family-run, with James Pring and mum Wendy the brains behind the operation, along with colleague Skye Leitch.

The Way Forward was initially created by 2020, when James and Wendy were looking at ways to help save the planet.

Cumnock Chronicle: The shop on Ayr Road offers a lot (Image: Thewayforward2045)The shop on Ayr Road offers a lot (Image: Thewayforward2045) (Image: Thewayforward2045)

Wendy, a civil engineer by trade, said she'd looked at the idea of refill stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh and questioned why some of them weren't working.

After looking into ways that they could bring something similar to Cumnock, James now believes that an idea like this could be what the town needs.

"We looked at how we could make it beneficial and affordable for the people in Cumnock and the surrounding areas," James told the Chronicle.

"Making it affordable for people was one of the key components. We might not achieve that intially in every aspect of the business, but we have values that we will continue to follow so that is the case."

James, from New Cumnock, felt he had an idea of what the area needed.

Having worked from trade stands for a few months, the chance to move into the shop in Cumnock was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Cumnock Chronicle: Thewayforward2045 looking to cut back on plastic and wasteThewayforward2045 looking to cut back on plastic and waste (Image: Thewayforward2045)

James added: "We are really excited but also a bit nervous about this journey.

"We're excited about how we can take ideas forward like bringing in electrice vehicle deliveries in the future.

"We'll be doing some men's mental health stuff and looking at meals for people who work long hours.

"We'll look at customer personas to see what they want. Stuff that's quick but healthy is something I'm sure we'll focus on a lot.

"We're also offering people the chance to leave their shooping lists with us and then they can tell us when they'll be back in store and they can pick it up from there.

"We're just really looking forward to this because of the work we've put into it."

More information about the shop, including opening times, can be found on Thewayforward2045 Facebook page.