OTR to convert coffee waste to fertiliser, with proceeds going to those in need

Convenience retailer OTR is part of a world-first trial to redirect its used coffee waste away from landfill and toward community gardens, with part of the proceeds going to help families in need.

The Human Beans project is a partnership between OTR, Foodbank SA, Neutrog Australia, Detpak and BioBag Australia, and will see used coffee waste collected from 11 OTR stores to be converted to fertiliser.

If successful the trial will be expanded into most OTR stores and the fertiliser will be sold in-store, with part of the proceeds going to FoodBank SA in order to assist the community in need.

“This project not only has social benefits but also environmental benefits, and allows us to trial a full sustainable cycle for our C Coffee brand, from the bean plantation through production and waste management by returning the coffee grounds to the soil as fertiliser,” said OTR community partnership manager Joann Skene.

“A kilogram of Human Beans fertiliser will contain coffee grounds from 25 cups of C Coffee with the proceeds from the sale of every bag of fertiliser subsidising five meals for Foodbank recipients, meaning every five C Coffees sold at an OTR store will now provide a meal to someone in need.”

The bags of fertiliser are planned to be available for purchase in early 2021.

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