We are back again with another addition to our ‘Cafes That Are Killing It’ series! This week the focus is on Polly Baker in regional VIC!
Polly Baker Traralgon is a Gold Bean Responsible Café that has circular economy at the heart of its operations. Located in the foyer of Gippsland Performing Arts Centre (GPAC), Polly Baker offers a range of high quality food, beverages and services to the Gippsland community and its visitors. The 3Rs of circularity – reduce, reuse, recycle – are truly championed here, with the addition to Responsible sourcing as they source their products and ingredients responsibly. They might have achieved 4Rs!
Polly Baker: Gold Bean!
Polly Baker Traralgon list of responsible actions as a café spans numerous categories, making them deserving holders of the Gold Bean accreditation. On their counter and all around the café, they showcases their commitment to waste reduction.
Located in the heart of the city, Polly Baker Traralgon, with its big window and open layout is floaded with daylight every day, making this a bright and welcoming corner for GPAC’s visitors to have a brew.
Four pillars of circular economy:
Bri from Polly Baker and Marion from Responsible Cafes
DIY reusable cups with our “I’m No Mug” silicon bands
1. REDUCE
Polly Baker Traralgon strives to reduce their environmental impact particularly with regards to plastic and use of cups. They embrace the plastic-free way of living by offering plastic free bags, straws and containers – including the ones traditionally used for condiments.
Polly Baker café also scores strongly on reusability, which they achieve in a mutual effort with their customers. Find out how in by reading about the second pillar – reuse.
2. REUSE
At Polly Baker Traralgon, the clientele is encouraged and incentivised to BYO (Bring Your Own) cups and containers, and can refill their water bottles for free.
BYO cup, for example, saves you $0.50.
Polly Bakers Traralgon are also part of the Huskee Swap exchange system. It is a very simple and convenient scheme for busy customers. People can bring their own Huskee cup, place their order, and receive their drink in a freshly washed cup which they can then use again in any of the other Huskee Swap cafés. The system features the use of an app to track our environmental impact through the Huskee Swap app. And Earn. Free. Coffees.
Swap systems and BYO creates a strong relationship between Polly Baker and its customer base as the public can actively contribute to sustainability efforts.
3. Recycle/Compost
The third circular economy R is recycling.
Recycling is one of the most longstanding sustainability practices, which Polly Baker Traralgon champions in a mix of traditional and innovative ways.
They first-hand compost their coffee grounds and food wastes, and are also part of a compost network where customers can take their coffee grounds and food waste for their own garden.
Last but not least, they use certified home and industrially compostable packaging for takeaway coffee and food, which can be responsibly composted through the FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) bins provided.
4. RESPONSIBLE SOURCING
Responsible sourcing is an additional R to the already rich list of sustainable actions for Polly Baker Traralgon. They serve Fair Trade coffee sourced from Seven Seeds, who strive to work directly with producers and remunerate them fairly and transparently by publishing the price paid to them.
With regards to other ingredients feeding the diverse Polly Baker menu, the café sources free range eggs and organic produce.
I am Valeria, a coffee lover passionate about sustainability and about introducing sustainable practices in our daily routine. Responsible Cafes is an opportunity to donate my time and skills towards waste reduction, a cause close to my heart.