Putting sustainability on the menu at your cafe doesn’t have to be a costly affair. With these simple steps you can help the environment and give your bottom line a boost all at the same time.
While styrofoam cups and plastic cutlery may have passed muster in Australian cafes just a decade or two ago, today’s customers are becoming increasingly switched on to sustainability. As a result, the onus is on cafe owners to be more responsible about everything from where they source their goods, to what they do with their waste.
The good news is that taking an ethical and environmentally friendly approach to your business isn’t just a plus for the planet. It can also draw more customers to your venue and save you money in the long run, too.
Here are our top ideas for making sustainability a win-win for everyone…
Saying ‘no’ to single use
There’s a growing trend towards reuse and one way you can get involved is to join Responsible Cafes and support its bid to eradicate single-use coffee cups. By offering a discount to customers with reusable cups, participating venues are already helping to divert 46 million plus single use cups from landfill each year. As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with conscious consumers via free promotional collateral, social media mentions and a listing on the organisation’s online map. By purchasing fewer takeaway cups you’ll also cut back on costs.
From here, consider phasing out other single-use items such as plastic bags, bottled water, plastic straws and drink stirrers; all major contributors to the estimated 150 million tonnes of plastic found floating around in the world’s oceans. Environmentally friendly alternatives include recycled paper bags, bamboo straws and wooden drink stirrers, just be sure to leave a stash of bendable plastic straws behind the counter – as a recent ABC News report highlighted, these are often an essential item for people with physical disabilities.
Homegrown goods
According to research, 81 per cent of Australians believe it’s important that the food they eat when eating out is ethically sourced. One way you can tap into this sentiment is to design your menus around locally grown, seasonal produce. By removing any reliance on imported goods and buying peak season from local suppliers, you’ll drastically cut your food miles and your monthly food bill. Embracing the seasons also guarantees you’ll be serving up the freshest, most flavoursome dishes, which should leave your customers hankering for more.
If you’re keen to go a step further, consider growing your own produce on-site – research shows this is another factor that resonates with customers. It doesn’t have to be a big commitment; starting with a herb garden, for instance, will provide freshly plucked ingredients you can easily incorporate into dishes and still enables customers to connect more directly with the food they’re eating.
Waste not, want not
Thinking about how you can minimise your venue’s environmental footprint through a more efficient use of resources can also boost your appeal and drive cost savings for your business. For example, using reclaimed or recycled materials when designing your venue can add character and warmth and save money on the fit out. Investing in good quality, eco-friendly appliances may involve a higher upfront cost, but they’ll last longer than cheaper models and help to reduce your energy bills. Likewise, installing automatic shut-off taps and motion sensitive lights in the bathrooms will make a dent in your utilities bills.
If you do have a kitchen garden, food waste can be composted, while any surplus food can be donated to charities such as Oz Harvest. Talk to your suppliers, too, about returning any unspoiled packaging for reuse.
Putting all these actions, and others into place will only add positively to your brand story and can easily be communicated via your website and your staff. Just don’t stress about tackling everything at once. Focus on what’s achievable now and remember that small steps can add up to a big difference.
This article was first published on Silver Chef’s blog in May, 2018.
