Peckham-born sisters put Nigerian heritage at the heart of a low-waste, community-first food business
You may have heard of The Flygerians. But did you know they are setting a new standard for sustainability in London’s restaurant scene? Founded by sisters Jess and Jo Edun, The Flygerians has become one of Peckham’s most loved food destinations, known for bold Nigerian flavours, infectious joy and deep community roots. What sits behind the headlines, however, is a sustainability story shaped not by trends or buzzwords, but by tradition: their grandma, Mary did it all first.
Long before sustainability became a popular talking point, the sisters’ Nigerian grandmother was already living it. Nothing wasted. Cooking rooted in respect for ingredients, people and the planet. That philosophy now underpins how The Flygerians operates today.
Their present-day sustainable initiatives include using only organic and local produce. When dining at their restaurant, everything on your plate will be locally sourced, reducing transport emissions whilst supporting the local community. They implement near-zero waste practices and have achieved the very low level of 10% waste, whilst surplus food redistribution via Too Good To Go, reducing this figure further, and they won’t stop until they hit 100% waste reduction! They also use sustainable packaging.
“Our grandma did it first,” said co-founder Jess. “She cooked with care, reused everything, fed others in the neighbourhood and never wasted food. We didn’t grow up calling it ‘sustainability’. It was just the right way to live. Everything we do at The Flygerians stems from this mindset. We’re honouring our grandma’s legacy, showing that sustainability can be joyful, cultural and full of flavour. It’s about taking care of our community, and leaving things better than we found them.”
For The Flygerians, community is real and they are already a force for good in Peckham. The sisters understand that knowledge is power, but everyone starts somewhere. They grow with the community through running cooking classes and summer camps for children, school partnerships and charity initiatives. They’ve also partnered with young offenders organisations and youth clubs, to inspire a new generation to cook with confidence, heritage, and heart using sustainable practices that nourish both people and the planet. At the root of their innovative menu is the idea that Nigerian food is for all.
While the organisation continues to grow, with the opening of a second London site in November at the newly established House of MOBO, the focus remains firmly on purpose, not pace. The Flygerians’ ambition is simple but bold: to cook for the world, without losing the joy, flavour and warmth that define who they are.