Gympie’s Greener Pantry tackles plastic waste, BYO packaging

Gympie’s newest business is tackling a global issue and has created a boujie store you might more likely expect to find in a green, inner-city Brisbane suburb. Watch the video.

Along the stretch of Mellor St overlooking the Gympie CBD, a new kind of pantry store has opened, a BYO container, buy only what you need store.

An array of herbs, flours, spices and cereals all neatly lined and labelled in glass jars greets customers who are encouraged to bring their own containers, fill up with the quantity they need and pay per gram.

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Bailey is the small business owner of A Greener Pantry, a new store on Mellor St which seeks to reduce plastic waste and food waste. Customers are encouraged to bring their own containers and only buy what they need. Picture: Christine Schindler

For Bailey, the owner of A Greener Pantry, the spontaneous 15 minute decision to lease the store did not reflect the past 31 years of mulling over how she could do her bit to lessen the plastic waste footprint.

“My main priority is to reduce waste as much as possible via packaging waste and food waste – only buy what you actually need and not more than you need,” Bailey said.

The store has the sophisticated and simple style that comes with a well-marketed, organic, ‘boujie’ store you might find in a green inner-city Brisbane suburb.

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The clean, stainless appearance of the shelves is balanced by Bailey’s down-to-earth, casual attitude.

“Sometimes you’ve got to buy 100 grams when you really only need 10. It’s a financial saving as well,” she said.

“I've sourced all my stuff preloved, because why spend $60-70,000 on all this brand new stuff to start up a shop that’s supposed to be green? I’ve been collecting jars for years, the scoops, and the food containers.”

Greener Pantry is a new store on Mellor St in the heart of Gympie, which seeks to reduce plastic waste and food waste. Customers are encouraged to bring their own containers and only buy what they need. Picture: Christine Schindler

Originally from Adelaide, Bailey moved to Gympie some 20 years ago after visiting Woodford. Her mother decided to follow her to Queensland and left her father, who didn’t want to move.

Bailey then fell in love and then out of love with a local fellow, had a few children along the way and now sees the city as home. Her previous work was in merchandising.

A Greener Pantry opened in early April 2023, and the store is still slowly building upon itself. Bailey’s future plans include making available local raw honey, vinegar, household and personal cleaning solutions along with a drop-off/pick-up ordering system for full-time workers.

A Greener Pantry is a new store on Mellor St which seeks to reduce plastic waste and food waste. Customers are encouraged to bring their own containers and only buy what they need. Picture: Christine Schindler

Currently the back wall is filled with preloved children’s clothes, denim jeans, vests and jackets and a small rack of shoes.

If you didn’t bring your own container, glass jars are available for purchase along with some options of resealable, reusable packaging and paper bags.

If you have plastic containers, Bailey won’t judge you either. Her attitude is plastic isn’t a crime.

“Get the most of the plastic you already have as it’s already here and going to be with us forever,” she said.

Originally published as Gympie’s Greener Pantry tackles plastic waste, BYO packaging