How did Two Chimps change from ‘climate positive’ to ‘carbon neutral’?

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane and see how we have already changed some of our packaging, processes and waste disposal to make the best choice possible for our planet!

Since we are in the food/beverage industry, it is only natural that we would produce a lot of food waste. Guess again! We have created some great processes to ensure we have minimal food waste.

Firstly, we only roast in small batches. Not only does this ensure our customers get the freshest brew, but it also means we never stockpile, which could result in stale coffee that ends up in the bin.

The second thing we do is only grind to order. This is largely because ground coffee goes off quicker, and we want our customers to enjoy their brew for as long as possible. This process also means less waste, as there is never surplus ground coffee.

Lastly, when roasting, a large amount of coffee chaff is collected. This paper-like layer surrounds the raw, green coffee beans. During roasting, this flakes off and is deposited in a container at the bottom of the roaster.

When our roaster Jordyn cleans this area, instead of putting this coffee chaff in the bin, we bag it up for Andy & Laura to take home. You’ll never guess what it is used for…bedding for their chickens! Yep, you read that right. It is the perfect alternative to sawdust or wood chips! Happy chickens and a happy planet? Yes, please!

From the packing side, we ensure that everything is recyclable. We even dye our bags so they can be fully recycled, something most won’t do due to cost, time and effort! We ship using cardboard boxes or envelopes, which are sealed with paper parcel tape.

Lastly, we try to be aware of keeping lights off when we are done in a room, turning plugs off, etc, at our roastery. We even have a fancy kettle which glows red when it’s still boiling, so you know you don’t need to turn it on again if someone just used it!

These may seem like little things, but this has helped us gain our carbon-neutral certification and improved our sustainable practices!

Now, onto the things you’re here to read about; what is our next step?

With guidance from positive planet, we are working to become net zero! They have laid out multiple ways in which we can try to reduce and offset to make our carbon footprint as small as possible.

We also have internal goals, such as reducing and reusing as much as possible as a team in our specific roles. At our weekly meetings, we even discuss whether anyone has seen how we can be greener in some aspects of the roastery.

For example, we were using a lot of printer paper on-site. However, dozens of used sticker sheets were discarded as scrap. We now use those pieces of paper for writing notes and internal printing!

We are also in the process of sourcing ‘green suppliers and businesses’ to install heat & solar control reflective window sheets and implement Certified Carbon Literacy Training for our team.

Through Positive Planet, we are also involved in various offsetting projects such as reforestation in Mozambique, mangrove planting in Madagascar, onshore wind energy generation in Taiwan and many more!

We are so excited to continue making Two Chimps the best it can be for our planet and our customers!