Supporting the local community

“We don’t employ people to make coffee; we make coffee so we can employ people.” 

Espresso Train Café and Catering is making a difference in the community in so many ways. But it’s you we need to thank, because we can’t do any of this without your support!

Pathways to employment

Espresso Train Café is part of the Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative (the Co-op). The Co-op was founded in 1998 by eight people with intellectual disability and mental health issues who were experiencing the ‘churn’ of employment agencies and training courses with no job outcomes.

This small, determined group created their own employment system that’s since grown into a flourishing grassroots enterprise that creates more than 8,000 hours of long-term employment annually for people facing barriers to work. Find out more about the Co-op.

Our Café worker family

Every day, Espresso Train Café provides a secure, welcoming and patient workplace for people facing barriers to employment. Supported by professional chefs and hospitality staff, our members receive the training and support they need to contribute in a meaningful way to the café and catering business. Find out more about our members.

Thinking globally, acting locally

If you’re committed to living a socially responsible life, you’ll love that we’re doing our part at Espresso Train Café and Catering.

Here are just a few ways we’re making a difference:

• Our café is solar powered – fridges, ovens and kitchen equipment draws a lot of energy so we’re aiming to further boost our solar generation to be energy neutral.
• Cafés generate food waste, but we give ours to Co-op member James who turns it into fertile compost and worm juice, via a great worm farm set up. We also sell his bottled worm juice at the café.
• Used coffee grinds are said to be good for the garden. We put ours into the bags the beans came in and offer it free to anyone who wants one for their garden.
• We’re conscious of our water use and take steps to reduce wastewater by filling buckets for rinsing dishes, instead of the big sink.
• Bottles and cans are collected by Co-op members and taken for a refund. This gives them a little pocket money and keeps glass and plastic out of landfill.
• We reuse paper, then recycle it along with cardboard, hard and soft plastic. Speaking of paper, if you’ve got a pile of paper printed on one side, we’ll trade it for a coffee – we can cut it up and use it to write orders on before we recycle it. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

You can help make a difference

By supporting Espresso Train Café and Catering, you’re helping us provide more employment opportunities for people who really need them. Read about our café and quality catering services or find out how you can pay it forward.