diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f60933a3c1..f465ad7306 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ tmp/
 .#*
 *~
 *.~lock.*
+tags
 .emacs.desktop
 .DS_Store
 *.sublime-project*
@@ -36,5 +37,4 @@ config/initializers/feature_toggle.rb
 NERD_tree*
 coverage
 libpeerconnection.log
-tags
-app/assets/javascripts/tags
+/config/application.yml
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 4fec11abeb..4975ff475b 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ gem 'spinjs-rails'
 gem 'rack-ssl', :require => 'rack/ssl'
 gem 'custom_error_message', :github => 'jeremydurham/custom-err-msg'
 gem 'angularjs-file-upload-rails', '~> 1.1.0'
+gem 'figaro'
 
 gem 'foreigner'
 gem 'immigrant'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 4af4129c5b..798e5dee5a 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ GEM
       railties (>= 3.0.0)
     ffaker (1.15.0)
     ffi (1.9.3)
+    figaro (0.7.0)
+      bundler (~> 1.0)
+      rails (>= 3, < 5)
     fog (1.14.0)
       builder
       excon (~> 0.25.0)
@@ -529,6 +532,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   debugger-linecache
   deface!
   factory_girl_rails
+  figaro
   foreigner
   foundation-icons-sass-rails
   foundation-rails
diff --git a/app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.erb b/app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.haml
similarity index 76%
rename from app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.erb
rename to app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.haml
index 295b4c9e8f..3a30b6827e 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.erb
+++ b/app/views/spree/user_mailer/signup_confirmation.text.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Hello,
 
-Welcome to Australia's Open Food Network! Your login email is <%= @user.email %>
+Welcome to #{ENV['DEFAULT_COUNTRY']}'s Open Food Network! Your login email is #{@user.email} 
 
 You can go online and start shopping through food hubs and local producers you like at http://openfoodnetwork.org.au
 
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@ We welcome all your questions and feedback; you can use the Send Feedback button
 Thanks for getting on board and we look forward to introducing you to many more great farmers, food hubs and food!
 
 Cheers,
-Kirsten Larsen and the OFN Team
+#{ENV['CONTACT_STRING']}
 
diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index 1cddfcf3a1..d3bbdbf3fd 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ module Openfoodnetwork
 
     # Set Time.zone default to the specified zone and make Active Record auto-convert to this zone.
     # Run "rake -D time" for a list of tasks for finding time zone names. Default is UTC.
-    config.time_zone = 'Melbourne'
+    config.time_zone = ENV["TIMEZONE"]
 
     # The default locale is :en and all translations from config/locales/*.rb,yml are auto loaded.
     # config.i18n.load_path += Dir[Rails.root.join('my', 'locales', '*.{rb,yml}').to_s]
-    config.i18n.default_locale = 'en'
+    config.i18n.default_locale = ENV["LOCALE"]
 
     # Setting this to true causes a performance regression in Rails 3.2.17
     # When we're on a version with the fix below, we can set it to true
diff --git a/config/application.yml.example b/config/application.yml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..986e1c9e22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/application.yml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Add application configuration variables here, as shown below.
+#
+# Change this, it has serious security implications. 
+# Minimum 30 but usually 128 characters. To obtain run 'rake secret', or faster, 'openssl rand -hex 128'
+SECRET_TOKEN: "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
+
+TIMEZONE: "Melbourne"
+# Default country for dropdowns etc.
+DEFAULT_COUNTRY: "Australia"
+# Locale for translation.
+I18N_LOCALE: "en"
+# Spree zone.
+CHECKOUT_ZONE: "Australia"
+# Contact name for emails.
+CONTACT_STRING: "Joe Bloggs and the OFN Team"
+
diff --git a/config/initializers/secret_token.rb b/config/initializers/secret_token.rb
index fcd0a6dda4..9aac0efd56 100644
--- a/config/initializers/secret_token.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/secret_token.rb
@@ -3,5 +3,9 @@
 # Your secret key for verifying the integrity of signed cookies.
 # If you change this key, all old signed cookies will become invalid!
 # Make sure the secret is at least 30 characters and all random,
-# no regular words or you'll be exposed to dictionary attacks.
-Openfoodnetwork::Application.config.secret_token = '6d784d49173d0ec820f20cfce151717bd12570e9d261460e9d3c295b90c1fd81e3843eb1bec79d9e6d4a7f04d0fd76170ca0c326ffb0f2da5b7a0b50c7442a4c'
+# no regular words or you'll be exposed to dictionary attacks. 
+Openfoodnetwork::Application.config.secret_token = if Rails.env.development? or Rails.env.test?
+  ('x' * 30) # Meets basic minimum of 30 chars.
+else
+  ENV["SECRET_TOKEN"]
+end
diff --git a/config/initializers/spree.rb b/config/initializers/spree.rb
index f722c60f1a..dca89955b7 100644
--- a/config/initializers/spree.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/spree.rb
@@ -11,11 +11,16 @@ require 'spree/product_filters'
 
 Spree.config do |config|
   config.shipping_instructions = true
-  config.checkout_zone = 'Australia'
+  config.checkout_zone = ENV["CHECKOUT_ZONE"]
   config.address_requires_state = true
 
   # 12 should be Australia. Hardcoded for CI (Jenkins), where countries are not pre-loaded.
-  config.default_country_id = 12
+  if Rails.env.test? or Rails.env.development?
+    config.default_country_id = 12
+  else
+    country = Spree::Country.find_by_name(ENV["DEFAULT_COUNTRY"])
+    config.default_country_id = country.id if country.present?
+  end
 
   # -- spree_paypal_express
   # Auto-capture payments. Without this option, payments must be manually captured in the paypal interface.