“By selecting and preparing the highest quality foods we can create balance and harmony, restore our health and heal our environment”.
Clearspring’s Chairman, Christopher Dawson, has dedicated his life to the study, promotion and distribution of organic foods, produced through organic agricultural and traditional processing techniques. He first began to study the benefits of a vegetarian diet on the body, and organic agricultural techniques on the planet, at just 18. His interest brought him from New Zealand to London, where he settled, opening the East West Natural Foods Store in Old Street in 1977.
Determined to learn more about traditional dietary practices and food-processing techniques, he travelled extensively throughout Europe, America, Australia and Asia, studying Far Eastern philosophical principles and traditions at the East West Foundation in Boston, U.S.A., as well as the distribution network of the natural foods movement in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Christopher first visited Japan in 1979, when he accompanied the President of Japan’s largest exporter of traditional and natural foods, Mitoku Co., Ltd, on a tour of natural food enterprises throughout Japan. In 1980, he moved to Japan to work full-time at Mitoku, where he studied Japanese foods and production; worked with producers to develop products to suit the needs of customers abroad; and helped producers become compliant with EU organic certification. He also travelled extensively to introduce the foods to markets worldwide, with the intention of seeing if Japanese foods could really become international foods.
In September 1993 he set up Clearspring Ltd with the aim of marketing Organic and Authentic Japanese foods under the Clearspring brand.
"Primarily Clearspring was born out of a wish to build a global organic food brand, to protect and develop the production of authentic and artisanal foods, and to distribute such good foods worldwide. What motivates us is to increase consumption of wholesome, easy-to-prepare, great tasting daily foods for optimum nutrition."
Christopher’s lifelong commitment to, and expert knowledge of, Japan’s traditional food culture was officially recognised in May 2007. In the presence of the former Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, Christopher was the only non-Japanese person to receive the Award for Overseas Promotion of Japanese Food 2007 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, for his distinguished contribution to the promotion of Japanese organic food worldwide. Read More
Personal Three Mantras
- Never be content with dissatisfaction
- No reality is permanent
- Love shortens the distance
Slogan
- Constantly work and play to convert one more acre of land to organic
Christopher Geoffrey Dawson: A Life
| 1953 |
Born in 1953 to William Geoffrey and Joan Dawson in New Zealand.
Spends his childhood in rural Opunake. |
| 1971 |
Begins to study vegetarianism and organic agriculture independently. |
| 1972 |
Auckland University: Legal & Political Studies |
| 1973 |
Works and Studies at 4 Organic Farms in New Zealand. |
| 1974 |
April 1974, comes to London to study.
Studies at the Henry Doubleday Horticulture and Nutrition Research Centre in Braintree and the Bio Dynamic Agricultural section at the Rudolf Steiner Emerson College, Sussex. |
| 1976 |
Decide to commit to organic food distribution, to assist current and potentially organic farmers and food producers to get their products to markets/consumers. |
| 1977 |
Opens the East West Natural Foods Store in Old Street, London. Develops the store in a distribution centre for traditional natural / macrobiotic foods, sourced from both local organic farms and from abroad, especially from Japan. This store is the forerunner to current Clearspring Ltd. |
| 1978 |
Travels extensively throughout Europe, America, Australia and Asia, investigating the traditional dietary practices and food-processing techniques. |
| 1979 |
Studies at the East West Foundation in Boston, Mass, U.S.A. about Far Eastern philosophical principles and traditions, and the distribution network of the natural foods movement in America & Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand. |
| 1979 |
Travels to Japan to visit natural food enterprises throughout Japan with Akiyoshi Kazama, President of Mitoku Co. Ltd. Begins extensive studies into the daily life and cultural and dietary practices of the Japanese people. |
| 1980 |
Begins full-time employment at Mitoku Co. Ltd., the major exporter of traditional, natural Japanese foods, where he works for the next 18 years. Activities included converting farmers and food producers to Certified Organic and marketing their products worldwide. |
| 1993 |
Buys the Clearspring Ltd. company, a London wholesaler with one store and annual sales of £640,000. Runs the company whilst continuing to work at Mitoku Co. Ltd. in Japan. |
| 1998 |
April 1998, moves to London to manage the company and focus on marketing internationally organic and authentic Japanese foods under the Clearspring brand. Then develops a network of authentic organic food suppliers in the EU. |
| 2007 |
Receives the Award for Overseas Promotion of Japanese Food 2007 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, for his distinguished contribution to the popularisation of Japanese organic food worldwide. Read more
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| 2016 |
Pleased to now have a committed staff of 28 people, working with suppliers in 14 countries and delivering authentic and organic foods to customers in 45 countries.
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“By selecting and preparing the highest quality foods we can create balance and harmony, restore our health and heal our environment”.