The Daily Grind

The Daily Grind was a coffee grind upcycling business where I redistributed the common waste product of coffee grounds from local cafes in Burleigh Heads. I drove these out to EdibleScapes in Nerang and created an all-natural ingredient based exfoliant bar which I sold at shops in James Street. https://cookn96.wixsite.com/thedailygrind

Due to my PhD research commitments and lack of interest from customers in the project at the time, I had to close the business.

I completed a 6 month trial report for my own reflection process looking at the aims and outcomes of the business.

The main reflections can be seen below:

Divert as many coffee grounds as possible from landfill.

From the project duration this was the amount of grounds diverted.

  • 60L x 2 collections per week = 120L

  • 6 months collection: (On average 4 cafes x 120 L per week) x 24 weeks = 11,520L

  • 1 ton of food waste emits 125m^3 of greenhouse gas emissions

  • Greenhouse gas emissions: 125m^3 x 11.5 = 1,437.5m3

Deliver the business model as intended.

This was achieved as intended, although closing the business was not expected.

  • I collected coffee grounds

  • I wrote a business plan and provided this to customers

  • Created a social media page

  • Reached out to cafes in person and online

  • Developed a business model and proposal

  • Evaluated the outcomes of the project

Grow partnerships with cafes and the community.

  • My customers included 6 cafes and 1 soap distributor (below)

  • Seadog 1 and 2, Connors, Koffee Shack, Crew, Pantry, Coffee shop at ‘flocked’ coworking space, Miso Miso (soaps)

  • I was able to divert grounds to one location for a majority of the entire time of the project (Edible Escapes)

  • This expanded to 2 other home collections, however these only occured on 1 occasion

Spread awareness on the problem and discuss solutions.

  • I created a Facebook page, Instagram handle and website.

  • Attended a local Social Enterprise networking group

  • Had a Linkedin media spot from a circular economy expert Chelsea McLean

  • Advertised the project on my podcast The Cooks Community

  • Developed marketing material for the collection services and soaps

Understand the costs and logistics involved with operating this service.

  • I developed a spreadsheet to track profit/loss, invoices, contacts and customers

  • The business made total <$1,000 in the 6-months of running

  • The soaps were profitable at scale, but not the amount I was making

Collect insights of stakeholders involved with the business.

  • ‘It is too hard for staff to segregate waste’

  • Collection bins outdoors and not undercover creates exposure to pests and the elements

  • Businesses not on board – not worth it and did not want to pay

  • Asking for reimbursement at the start is very important. Not later down the track

  • Customers wanting to operate in cash

  • ‘Why would I pay for the collection if I can make it into an exfoliating product myself’

  • Staff forgetting to fill up the bin

  • Moving in and out of the front of the store is not an attractive look for waste collection

  • 6 cafes were too many for diversion at the one site of Edible Escapes

  • For the houses diverted to, one cafes bin is enough for 1 months use at their own property

  • Reluctantly, the project was not worth this time

Thanks for reading.

Dr Nathan Cook (PhD, APD, AccSD)