Running a venue in 2026 is not easy - and often the convenient options around products and packaging can be the most unsustainable.
Fortunately, there are some innovative businesses that buck this trend. See how these suppliers are helping venues become more eco-friendly, while keeping customers happy (not a soggy straw in sight!).
In Australia alone, approximately 7 million disposable cutlery units are used every day.
Imagine all the cutlery Australian consumers use and discard, piling into landfill and contributing to the ever-growing mass of waste we produce. It’s a terrible image, and one any venue wants to avoid being part of.
Co-founders Abhinav Nagaraj and Nishanth Ananth set out to combat this when they launched Edible Cutlery in 2022. Their vision: a world where disposable cutlery isn’t just an afterthought or a source of frustration (goodbye, soggy straws!) but something that provides an experience for consumers.
Their edible spoons and cups are 100% biodegradable and nutritious, crafted from premium, natural ingredients. You may have seen their flavoured dessert spoons at Australia’s most famous frozen yoghurt chain, Yo-Chi!
With customers increasingly conscious about their environmental impact, give them a feel-good option with this innovative cutlery solution.
>> Interested in edible cutlery?
Did you know that one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted globally?
In line with OzHarvest’s work in food waste reduction, OzHarvest Ventures was created in 2023 to launch, partner, and help scale businesses driven by impact.
One of these partnerships is with Second Squeeze and Gypsy Hub to create ‘Oh! Lemonaid’. These natural, sparkling lemon drinks feature rescued lemons that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Another collaboration is with Indigenous-owned Kakadu Kitchen. Their award-winning ‘Conscious Drink’ features rescued blueberries and native botanicals.
The result of these partnerships? Delicious, zero-alcohol, environmentally sustainable beverages your customers will love.
Additionally, profits raised by OzHarvest Ventures help fund their incredible work: providing food for those in need, reducing food waste, as well as their admirable education and innovation initiatives.
>> Interested in conscious drinks?
Takeaway coffee cups. So essential, yet so problematic. An estimated 1.84 billion single-use cups are used each year in Australia, with 90% of these ending up in landfill.
Enter Ordermentum supplier I AM NOT PAPER. They’ve spent a decade perfecting a coffee cup (and lid) that’s thermo-infused, leak-proof, and doesn’t interfere with the taste of the coffee.
Their cups come in multiple sizes and are 100% tree-free (they use plant pulp), and fully compostable. Plus they make eco-friendly napkins, takeaway boxes, and - importantly! - straws that don’t go soggy.
As conscious consumers continue to move towards sustainable choices, innovative solutions like these can set venues apart and contribute to that feel-good connection that consumers have with their favourite venues.
>> Interested in planet-friendly packaging?
Sourdough bread has become a staple in cafes, restaurants and homes. Nutrient-dense and gut-friendly, it’s the perfect base for quality butter, delicious spreads, and the natural accompaniment to hearty soups, and sandwich fillings.
Zeally Bay Sourdough from Torquay, Victoria, takes this a step further using only Certified Organic ingredients and crafted using a leaven from the original culture that was created in 1981.
Regenerative farming improves biodiversity, conserves water, increases organic matter in soil, and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. Zeally Bay supports regenerative farming practices and only uses ingredients grown in healthy biologically active soils.
These practices, and their general ethos, mean they’re providing bread that’s chemical and pesticide free, environmentally friendly, socially responsible….and seriously good to eat.
When venues purchase Certified Organic bread customers enjoy a higher quality experience, but you’ll also be supporting sustainable farming practices.
>> Interested in organic sourdough?
If your interest has been sparked by any of these suppliers, click on the links above, or discover more sustainable suppliers below. It’s important that all of us do our bit, in whatever way we can. The upside is that consumers actually enjoy and connect with sustainable products more, and the downside? Well… there is no down-side to a healthier planet.
See more sustainable suppliers on Ordermentum here