STOKA Coffee Roasters x Grounded - Our new packaging and what it means for a circular future

Since the change in ownership in 2021, STOKA has gone through a slow build-up of new branding and identity that will take it forward for the foreseeable future. We sat down with the co-owner to talk to him about some of the reasons why the business decided to go down a more sustainable path in its efforts to reduce waste and turn into a circular business.

What inspired the rebranding effort, and how has the branding identity evolved over the past three years?

Ron: The last few years was important for us to get the brand right. Something that would inspire and add an element of our own personality in what you see today. While Karlee and I are two completely different people, we still have commonalities that I needed to show where we wanted to be... say 10 years down the track. It's been an arduous journey, but we are slowly getting there. I kept things that still held resonance with the public and implemented other strategies that showed our character and intention with what we offer on the plate.

Sustainability has become a bigger focus in many industries—how has it influenced the new packaging choices?

Ron: A good mate of mine does regional sales at Grounded Packaging. A company dedicated to eliminating waste and promoting a circular economy within particular industries. We decided to work with them as it aligned with our environmental and sustainability goals moving forward. More importantly, we looked at our most wasteful areas, being packaging, and bunkered down on reducing environmental waste. When I watched 'Buy now! The shopping conspiracy' on Netflix it kind of reaffirmed that its literally everyone's business to do their part. No matter the cost. As a coffee roastery, there are massive amounts of Co2 release. Things like gas, electricity, packaging and transport are areas that need constant attention and managing this aspect was something that I really wanted to highlight. Changing our packaging from a non-recyclable to an APCO compliant recyclable structure has so many benefits towards a circular economy.

What were some of the biggest challenges in transitioning to more sustainable packaging?

Ron: Coming into the business after we took over from the previous owner has been a learning curve that's for sure. The last few years we tried to stabilise back-room admin and get an understanding of figures and rising inflation costs while keeping a small family running. When we took over I really wanted to stick to things that we felt were important to keep; such as sustainability, perfecting what we've already got, and to never compromise on really good coffee. The unfortunate thing is that you begin to see that we're simply an economy of scale and that everything revolves around market conditions. As a consequence, we rise and fall like everything else. Coming into a recessionary year, I felt that sticking to an environmentally conscious thing like packaging was still important as it shows the client that we still care about rehabilitating the earth and wern't going to 'cheap out' and save costs like everyone else. It's a risk, but f*#k it! you gotta believe in something, right?

What materials are we using in our upcoming packaging release, and how do they compare to our previous materials?

Ron: This time around we've shifted from a non-recyclable PE laminate to #4 recyclable material. We found it feasible within our budget to offer this to the public as well as addressing a growing ethical business concern that we wanted to improve. Looking at the data Grounded supplied to us, we have effectively reduced our carbon footprint by close to 48% (1,384kg CO₂ to around 707kg CO₂). This reduction will be something to build upon, but it is a step in the right direction. The new packaging also now uses up to 60% recycled products in its construct.

What steps is the company taking to ensure our sustainability efforts extend beyond just packaging?

Ron: It's really important to show the public that we are serious about doing 'our part'. We see a lot in our industry thinking purely bottom line and resorting back into cheaper, more harmful materials with their packaging. It's this kind of approach that's problematic and got us in this mess in the first place. Our new packaging extends beyond what we simply send out there. It's part of our commitment to lay the foundations of a circular economy, first coined by the Ellen MacArthur foundation. Our new packaging will also see our MCI score rise to 52%.

Currently, we are building upon connections with farms that are aligned with fair work practices and sustainable agriculture. This will be the focus over the coming years. By putting these things in place, we can look forward to a more meaningful industry and one that benefits the entire supply chain.