Meet Elaine Brown and Peter O’Donovan. A young Dublin couple on a mission to change the way Dublin drinks coffee.
Their aim is to open a speciality coffee shop in the coming months with a large focus on composting, recycling and the use of renewable energy. And they are currently fund-raising for the ‘Pepper Laine’ project, via the website Indiegogo.
Owning a cafe has always been a dream for the pair, but it was only on a recent trip abroad that they decided to make the dream a reality.
“We were sitting in a coffee shop in London observing everything that was going on and just feeling all-round excited to be there. We knew it was something we wanted to set up. It had been an idea for a long time and nothing more, and one day it all just seemed possible.” Peter says
Since then, they’ve been on an extensive research mission visiting coffee shops across London, Dublin, around Ireland and some in Barcelona and Madrid.
“We have also been to numerous coffee events and festivals, networking with people from all aspects of the industry. We have met with owners of coffee shops, big and small, roasters, baristas, people from all lines of business and asked people we know’s point of view.” Elaine says
The venue and coffee supplier have yet to be decided but what we can tell you is the cafe will boast healthy food, a friendly atmosphere, and a push on composting, recycling and reducing waste.
“A massive part of what Pepper Laine is being sustainable, eco-friendly and to promote positivity while providing great coffee in an environment that everyone feels accepted in.” She continues
There is a growing movement in the coffee industry to tackle the issue of waste. Coffee cups are near-impossible to recycle, and a result we are sending two million to landfill every day, the Irish Times recently reported. Coffee shops like Dublin 8’s Container Coffee are using fully compostable plastics throughout and many of Dublin’s new cafes are taking steps to reduce food waste.
The Waste Reduction Bill, which would see a ban on single-use coffee cups and introduce a deposit refund scheme on bottles and cans, is currently being debated in the Irish parliament. The bill is in what is known as the ‘committee stage’ but still has long way to go before becoming law.
A similar movement is underway in the UK, with campaigns such as celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s #wastenot and London city’s #squaremilechallenge tackling the disposable coffee cup issue head on.
Get behind the Pepper Laine project and read more about their story here.
