Single use cups off menu

Jensen Fine Brews and Chews is the first retro coffee van and catering business in Noosa serving memorable brews in reusable cups only.

Local owner and operator Jo Jensen started the business in mid-2022 with the goal to align her passion for local produce and food with sustainable living practices.

“I didn’t have any intention to lead the charge but it worked out that way,” Jo said.

“I think my awakening to environmental issues occurred when I was around 11. I actually saw a movie called Soylent Green and it was about a deteriorating world and it struck me so heavily. I’ve tried to reduce my footprint throughout my life.”

Jo has had a number of reincarnations throughout her career; spending time as a nurse, a musician and a body corporate manager.

“I decided to leave that role for something that aligned with my passions, and food is one of them, and the environment is the other,” she said.

“I certainly didn’t want to broach that industry without having plans in place to deal with waste and to run it in a way that sat well with my beliefs.

“I’m not in it to make a million dollars. I just want to do something that sits well with my ethics and, of course, pay the bills.”

The public’s response to her approach to sustainable operations was heart-warming, selling more than 100 coffees in just three hours at the Noosa Botanical Garden’s Music in the Gardens event on the weekend.

“I was expecting to actually come across a lot more customers that were cranky about it. I’ve probably lost at the most a dozen sales as a consequence,” Jo said.

“There’s no other option with me than reusables. There’s a line in the sand and I think if it became a feature of the Noosa region, then it could be a tourist attraction rather than a detrimental feature.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle or refuse. Bring some mindfulness about your consumption and the footprint you leave behind.”