6th September 2019

Enjoy a sustainable coffee

Leeds is full of lots of little independent hidden finds when were talking about coffee, so we thought we’d focus the spotlight on some coffee companies in Leeds with sustainability at the heart of their practice.

North Star

North Star are small scale speciality roasters, setting the bar high for sustainability standards in the coffee industry with ethical procurement, innovation and sustainability underpinning every decision they make. They work seasonally by purchasing small fresh batches throughout the year, having worked aside farmers and travelled to coffee origins North Star know what questions to ask to guarantee an ethical trade. They have their own coffee shop in Leeds Dock and also sell wholesale to other cafes and eateries such as Knaves Kitchen on Call Lane. Check out North Star’s website and blog to read more about what sustainable coffee actually means and how they go about achieving this within their business.

Hyde Park Book Club

This little coffee shop is a true gem in Leeds, sourcing their coffee from North Star leeds and stocking beers from local companies it’s impossible to find fault. They also have a sizeable fully vegetarian menu, creating tasty sandwiches using fake meats from the ‘Vegetarian Butcher’ and amazing vegan and gluten free cake options that can’t be beaten. To top it all off Hyde Park Book Club have a real appreciation for the local arts scene, hosting live music and pop up exhibitions on the regular – it’s a coffee shop with an atmosphere and friendliness not to be missed.

The Greenhouse Horsforth

A little way out of the centre in Horsforth, this cafe is worth a visit, all the food is 100% vegan and its their 2019 mission is to reduce the plastic waste they produce at the cafe. Their aim is to eliminate single use plastics by 2020, already they’ve gone plastic-free with their coffee supplier and greengrocer and are currently working with their other suppliers to find plastic-free alternatives. The takeaway cups, containers and cutlery are all biodegradable.

Laynes Espresso

This lovely coffee shop is just a minute from Leeds train station, they have been using direct trade and fairer than fair trade coffee since they opened 8 years ago. Laynes have also been using Vegware since day one for all of their disposables. They were one of the first coffee shops to work with Vegware to implement the ‘closed loop’ system of sending all food waste and Vegware items to compost. They also always have a really tasty vegan sweet treat on offer.

For a delicious tasting coffee with that added sweet taste of knowing you’re drinking sustainably – you can’t go wrong!