“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That’s how we tackle sustainability.”
Cliff Holden, Owner/Manager, The Long Yard Larder
The Long Yard Larder (a friendly café in Samford, just north of Brisbane) has been nibbling away at the sustainability elephant for quite some time!
With an appetite for continuous improvement and business resilience, the café’s owner Cliff Holden and his team have implemented many practical business strategies for improving sustainability.
Cliff’s 30 years of experience in IT and software development have come in handy, allowing him to apply many of these principles to his cafe business. He’s implemented policies and actions to improve business processes, nurture staff, reduce plastic, reuse food waste, cut energy and support the local community.
Watch the video
In the video below, Cliff describes the cafe’s sustainability initiatives. His talk was recorded at a Samford Sustainable Business Network event (the Samford Sustainability Smorgasbord hosted by Green Street on 2 October 2024).
“There’s a lovely garden across the park where we buy kale. So we’ve got food metres, not food miles!”
Cliff Holden, Owner/Manager, The Long Yard Larder
Local suppliers: this delicious Spanakopita is made fresh from kale grown less than 100 metres away
Summary of The Long Yard Larder’s sustainability initiatives
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Installing a free piped water system for customers, to reduce demand for plastic bottled water
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Switching to selling juices in glass bottles
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Separating food waste in the kitchen and giving coffee grinds and waste to those who can compost or reuse it
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Now using food waste as an input for a related business – bio charcoal for soil conditioning and plant/grass growing (see BioChar compost at Pachamama Regen Farms)
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Encouraging takeaway customers to bring reusable cups
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Using washable, reusable glasses and crockery for dine-in customers (not takeaway cups or plastics)
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Providing fully compostable takeaway cups to takeaway customers
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Investing in energy-efficient fridges, freezers and lighting
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Choosing locally sourced produce whenever possible
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Sponsoring local community initiatives such as the recently established Samford Park Run.
“I have a hatred of plastic water bottles, so we implemented a free water system. As a result we’ve halved the amount of plastic bottled water we offer for sale.”
Cliff Holden, Owner/Manager, The Long Yard Larder
Reducing plastic: the cafe installed a piped water system that provides still or sparkling water in reusable glasses, halving demand for plastic bottled water.
Further information
- The Long Yard Larder Cafe Samford
- Pachamama Regen Farms (Cliff’s business selling BioChar compost and soil booster)
- Samford Sustainable Business Network
Join a Sustainable Business Network
The Long Yard Larder is a member of the Samford Sustainable Business Network. Members of this and other Networks connect via local events and Groups on Green Street. If you’d like to join a local network, or create a new one, please contact Green Street.
