Catherine Hutchins and Aniyo Rahebi

Catherine Hutchins and Aniyo Rahebi founded the innovative startup, Good-Edi, in 2020. In doing so, they have ensured that Australians can continue their love for coffee in a more environmentally sustainable way.

Our coffee culture and abundance of cafes is well known. However, many don't realise just how much waste is being produced. Over two million coffee cups are sent to landfills in Australia each day, and it will take 30 years for the plastics in these cups to break down.

Catherine and Aniyo thought there had to be a better way to do things and set them on a path to create a sustainable product through innovation. After countless hours in the kitchen, testing numerous recipes, Catherine and Aniyo finally found their winning formula. The Good-Edi cup is completely waste-free and can be eaten or thrown into the compost or general rubbish, where it will break down naturally in a few weeks.

Both Catherine and Aniyo have worked in the food processing and packaging industry for over 20 years. Catherine has over a decade's worth of global experience in the food processing and packaging industry. During this time, she has been involved in production management, food technology, sales and business development. Meanwhile, Aniyo has over 12 years of experience in food processing, packaging and the international market and has also held different roles across sales, development, strategic planning and business management.

Made from ethically sourced, grain-based vegan ingredients, the Good-Edi cup was selected to participate and won first place in the 2020 HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program, a new initiative designed to support sustainability startups.

In June 2021, Good-Edi cups started production. Since then, around 10,000 cups have been distributed to corporates and events. Coffee roasteries and café owners have quickly shared their support with local, sustainable businesses praising this unique solution to minimise waste.

Sharing Catherine and Aniyo's vision to make a positive difference to the planet, Good-Edi ensures that each aspect of their full value chain focuses on sustainability. They do this by minimising their waste, water consumption and energy usage and using sustainable packaging and transport through each step of the process. Their goals are to partner with like-minded businesses and be mindful of their environmental footprint through each step of the process.

In their keynotes, Catherine and Aniyo share their journey, including their challenges, inspiration, and the lessons learnt.