Ever since his first job in a restaurant almost 15 years ago, Pete Ladyman has been fascinated by the culture around coffee. ‘I love the sense of community in cafés, and being a part of people’s day,’ he said.
Brewing up a sustainable future across the Eastern Shore
Six and a half years ago, he opened Audrey Coffee in Rosny Park, followed a year later by a second location in Rokeby. ‘There are a million coffee shops in the city, all competing with one another. We wanted to bring coffee to places where people really need it.’
But just running a business where people could meet and drink great coffee wasn’t enough. Pete wanted to actively make life better for his employees, to pay above award wages, and invest in growing their skills.
The result, he says is an amazing staff who provide warm, inviting customer service every day. ‘It’s all about creating a genuine connection with the people who walk through the door,’ he said.
Pete is also focussing on waste reduction. ‘There’s incredible waste at every level of the coffee industry; it’s hard to be completely sustainable. But we’re doing what we can.’
Both cafés have seven different types of bins out the back — food and compostables, glass, plastic, paper, cardboard, soft plastics, and container refund scheme. ‘Co-mingled recycling can easily become contaminated, so we’re trying to sort it ourselves, and deliver it to local recycling facilities. We want to send as little as possible to landfill.’
Used coffee grounds and eggshells go to local market garden and composting groups, and Pete has been talking to suppliers, trying to shift the focus from soft plastic bags to paper or compostable packaging.
‘We’re buying coffee in bulk reusable tins, we’re encouraging people to bring back takeaway cups and lids for recycling, and we want to make more of what we sell, like chai syrups and chocolate powders, so we can offer customers better packaging choices.’
‘The hardest part is, there are not always easy ways to be completely waste free. We need a broader shift both locally and globally. Plastic contamination of the ecosystem is going to be a real challenge for future generations.’
Pete wants to use the café as a platform to talk about sustainability, as well as helping others on their waste reduction journey.
‘We have a responsibility, as a small business, to be as circular as possible with the products we sell. It’s the most logical pathway to make sure we still have a planet for our kids and future generations.’
Pete Ladyman and Audrey Coffee have been chosen by Clarence Climate Action as this month’s Climate Champions.
Eastern Shore Sun, October 2025, page 4