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The Coffee Club rewards green customers

Nick Hall

Cafe franchise The Coffee Club is the latest brand to weigh into the anti-plastic movement, announcing a nationwide franchisee commitment to offer a 50-cent discount on hot beverage purchases to customers who bring their own reusable cups.

The discount, which came into effect this week, will be offered in all The Coffee Club stores across Australia and has the potential to save the nation’s coffee drinkers up to $130 a year.

Matthew Emmerson, Head of Marketing at The Coffee Club’s said the brand’s decision to reward consumers for reducing waste was a step in the right direction.

“We are pleased to announce that following requests from many stores and customers, and a successful trial run by various stores our incentive to be environmentally friendly is now consistent across Australia as well as one of the first national cafes to offer such a great initiative,” Emmerson said.

“Our franchisees live and work in the communities they operate in, and so it’s our responsibility that we listen to our customer’s passions, such as the health of our environment and support when and where we can.”

Retailers and food franchises have been put on high alert recently, with the race to demonstrate green credentials now pivotal to brand reputation.

Earlier this year, supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths both committed to phasing out single-use plastic bags from their stores, with Inside Franchise Business reporting last week McDonald’s are planning to phase out plastic straws following a strong push from consumers and environmental lobbyists.

In Australia, an estimated one million disposable coffee cups are dumped in landfill every year.

For The Coffee Club franchisees, the new initiative presents an opportunity to not only give back but demonstrate a commitment to community.

Peter Collier, The Coffee Club Stockland Caloundra said that his team were proud to be part of an environmental initiative that rewarded Australians with a green-focus.

“The move to reusable coffee cups is a trend we’ve seen with our locals and regulars for a long time – it’s nice to be able to give back and reward them at the same time,” Collier said.

“Obviously disposable coffee cups are a huge cost not only to the environment but to our business as well, this is a great opportunity to trial what could be a more sustainable way of running our business.”

Emmerson said the brand would be proactive in helping franchisees implement the changes as well as chart the positive response from local patrons.

“We’ll be working closely with our franchisees over the coming months to monitor the positive impact the initiative has on their business and for now we are extremely proud to be taking this proactive step,” Emmerson said.

The 50-cent discount on coffee purchases when a reusable cup is presented is available now in all The Coffee Club stores across Australia.