In 2025, sustainability is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a non-negotiable. More clients are asking how their event choices can match their environmental values. As a seasoned caterer, we believe it’s our duty to lead the way.
At Wine & Dine’m, we listen closely to what our clients want. We make real, tangible changes in how we source, serve and support our events.
Here’s what sustainability looks like in catering today.
1. Local and Seasonal Menus
Clients are increasingly asking, “Where does your produce come from?” – We love this question
By sourcing food locally and designing menus based on what’s in season, we lower the carbon footprint. Ensuring our menus are as fresh and flavourful as possible. From Queensland strawberries to Lockyer Valley greens, we celebrate local producers and environmentally friendly practices on every plate.
We are proud to work with The Mini Farm Project, to deliver quality, local menus to our clients. Partnering with this local charity also enables us to support the build of new farms to feed Aussies in need.
A local business, MFP has cultivated a network of urban and peri-urban farms from Coolangatta to Cairns. They grow fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and eggs to donate to food relief charities. Their goal is to fight food insecurity, support sustainable farming and strengthen community resilience.
2. Less Waste, Smarter Service
Waste is a major issue in the events industry, especially food and packaging waste. That’s why we’ve taken steps to minimise excess at every touchpoint:
- Offering pre-portioned options or guided quantities to reduce over-ordering. Uncertainty around portion sizes is one of the leading causes of waste in catering.
- Using compostable packaging for our express drop-off catering service
- Donating suitable surplus food through community partners when possible. Promoting a circular economy through a thought out plan for our ‘service/product-lifespan’. Implementing this initiative is possible thanks to great local organisations like OzHarvest, Community Friends and Wesley Mission.
- We work with venues and organisations that have made their recycling and composting programs a priority. We can also collaborate to create these programs together.
We encourage our clients to join the conversation early in the planning process. Sustainability is not an afterthought – it is part of the plan!
We highlighted this in 2024 when we partnered with Closed Loop to conduct a post-event sustainability and waste report for CSIRO’s ‘AgCatalyst’ event at Brisbane Powerhouse. In this project, we saved 88% of total waste from going to landfill. Most of this waste was paper, cardboard, organic waste and glass/ aluminium containers processed through CDS (Container Deposit Scheme).
3. Reusable and Eco-Friendly Equipment
Whenever possible, we choose reusable items, including dishes, platters, glassware and linens. When disposables are necessary, especially for large-scale events or places without power, we pick biodegradable or compostable options. A conscious choice to avoid single use plastics and ensure our equipment doesn’t linger in landfill.
We choose packaging for our Express Catering service that exclusively uses recycled or renewable materials and breaks down cleanly. We have done a lot of research and tests for these decisions. We want to ensure optimal quality and durability during transport, serving and storage. From this decision, we, our clients and the environment benefit from the best of both worlds.
4. Team Training and Cultural Buy-In
Sustainability only works when the whole team is on board. We train our team to focus on eco-friendly practices. This includes effective plans for portion control, efficient transport logistics and managing food waste on site. We believe that when everyone can see the real impact on the environment, they all get on-board long term.
This is more than a checklist, it’s part of our processes and how we operate.
What’s Next?
In our near future, we are looking to form more partnerships with local farms. Further implement smarter waste tracking and increase our use of eco-friendly delivery and transport measures.
Sustainability in catering isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. We take pride in being part of a movement that changes how our industry delivers events in Queensland – One bite at a time.
Need help planning a sustainable event?
Talk to our team about how we can create a menu and experience that shows your values. We will never compromise on flavour or presentation.
Where to start?
Now that you’ve considered all of these potential factors for your upcoming corporate event, it’s time to book your venue! Luckily, at Wine & Dine’m Catering we have worked with a wide range of Brisbane & Gold Coast’s best corporate event venues & have shortlisted our favourites which you can find on the Venues page of our website.
