Gourmet Garden always encourages the most sustainable practices possible.
Consideration for the environment has been very important to Gourmet Garden and this is reflected in the design of the company’s headquarter building built in 2006, which houses the facility, labs and offices. The building boasts the biggest of its kind refrigeration plant, which is 50% more energy efficient than a typical refrigeration plant. Rain water is harvested from the roof top, stored in four rain water tanks and used for both the fire protection and within the facility. A 40m green belt surrounding the back of the site, equipped with a walkway and 8,000 native trees, was gifted to the community.
Genuine concern for the environment is reflected in decisions on all levels of the company. For example, Gourmet Garden is a partner of ecoBiz, a government program to improve efficient use of resources and waste reduction. In partnership with local organizations, Gourmet Garden enrolled 100% of the facility staff and almost all office staff in Certificate IV in Lean Manufacturing classes. This resulted in a number of immediate and long-term improvements in efficiency and waste reduction. Currently, Gourmet Garden is in looking forward to another partnership with the same local government focused on waste minimization strategies.
These initiatives are driven by dedicated management, are being adopted by everyone in the company, creating a caring environment where everyone contributes their ideas.
Gourmet Garden has been a signatory of the National Packaging Covenant (NPC) since 2005. Many changes have been implemented as a result, highlighted below.