POWERED BY VITASOY
Matthew Lewin is the 2019 ASCA Vitasoy Barista Champion and Café Ambassador for Vitasoy.
A barista’s guide to dairy alternatives: sustainability Australian Barista Champion Matthew Lewin on how cafés can make sustainable choices with the products and plant-based milks they use.
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Vitasoy’s Almond Milk with a creamy taste profile, developed with Vitasoy Café Ambassador Matthew Lewin.
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beanscenemag.com.au
f we’re going to keep enjoying the wonderful coffee we have here in Australia, we’re going to need to do it in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. I’m sure we’re all well aware nowadays about climate change and the impact humans and our decisions are having on the environment. It’s up to each of us to evolve our everyday habits to play our part in having a more positive impact on the planet – especially around coffee. Climate change is an issue affecting every person and industry around the world, but coffee is particularly vulnerable. It also contributes a lot of emissions, from the farm level through processing, transporting, roasting, the café, and the takeaway cup the customer leaves with. Does this mean we should stop drinking coffee? Probably not, but it’s why we, as an industry, have a responsibility to make smart and sustainable choices to offset any impact we all create. The items we use each and every day can have much bigger carbon footprints than we even realise, so one way we can make a difference is with the products we choose to serve in our café. Beyond our own responsibility, the products you use are a reflection of your brand and values, and it’s important to many customers that they’re supporting
businesses that do the right thing. For your plant-based milks, products that have ingredients grown in Australia lend themselves to a smaller carbon footprint than those coming from overseas thanks to the reduced shipping. Vitasoy, for instance, proudly works with many local and regional growers throughout Australia and has a strong local and regional footprint. It has an Australian First Sourcing Policy and will choose Australian grown ingredients where possible. All of Vitasoy’s grains, nuts and seeds are grown in Australia. The company works hard to nurture and develop longstanding partnerships with all growers and is proud to support Aussie farmers and local communities. Just like we advocate for a sustainable coffee supply chain, Vitasoy is committed to ensuring a sustainable and continuous agricultural supply chain that supports our network of Australian farmers. What’s more, sourcing from a sustainable supply chain raises the bar so that not only Vitasoy, but its key suppliers, can have in-house sustainability programs. All Vitasoy Australia products are manufactured in regional Victoria at its Wodonga factory, employing close to 100 local employees. A company that grows local and supports local – pretty awesome when we can do both on home soil, isn’t it?
