Circular economy practices by upcycling waste product creation at local coffee shop
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37631/ebisma.v6i2.2160Keywords:
Circular Economy, Upcycling, Coffee Waste, Local Coffee Shop, MSME, SustainabilityAbstract
The swift expansion of Indonesia's coffee sector has led to rising environmental issues, especially concerning coffee grounds and plastic waste. This research investigates the ways in which local coffee shops adopt circular economy principles via upcycling efforts that transform waste into useful products. Employing a qualitative case study method with 21 participants, comprising both managers and consumers, the data were thematically analyzed to uncover significant patterns of circular practices. The findings highlight three primary themes: (1) Circular Economy Principles, which focus on reducing waste, substituting eco-friendly materials, and implementing standardized waste management systems;(2) The Waste Transformation Process includes a five-stage upcycling workflow and cooperative partnerships with local MSMEs to handle 1.8–3.5 tons of waste each month; and (3) Upcycling Product Creation phase, where waste materials are converted into unique and visually appealing products like eco-bags, coffee soap, and furniture panels. These initiatives not only minimize waste but also generate social and economic benefits through community empowerment. In summary, this study illustrates that local coffee shops can function as micro-laboratories for sustainability, merging environmental accountability, creative innovation, and inclusive circular economy practices.
References
Alshenqeeti, H. (2014). Interviewing as a data collection method: A critical review. English Linguistics Research, 3(1), 39–45.
Adeoye‐Olatunde, O. A., & Olenik, N. L. (2021). Research and scholarly methods: Semi‐structured interviews. JACCP: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CLINICAL PHARMACY, 4(10), 1358–1367. https://doi.org/10.1002/jac5.1441
Adıgüzel, F., & Donato, C. (2021). Proud to be sustainable: Upcycled versus recycled luxury products. Journal of Business Research, 130, 137–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.033
Ahmed, S. K. (2024). How to choose a sampling technique and determine sample size for research: A simplified guide for researchers. Oral Oncology Reports, 12, 100662.
Bhatt, D., Silverman, J., & Dickson, M. A. (2019). Consumer interest in upcycling techniques and purchasing upcycled clothing as an approach to reducing textile waste. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 12(1), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/17543266.2018.1534001
Boulding, K. E. (1966). The economics of the coming spaceship earth (1st Edition).
Bridgens, B., Powell, M., Farmer, G., Walsh, C., Reed, E., Royapoor, M., Gosling, P., Hall, J., & Heidrich, O. (2018). Creative upcycling: Reconnecting people, materials and place through making. Journal of Cleaner Production, 189, 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.317
Chen, Y.-S. (2010). The Drivers of Green Brand Equity: Green Brand Image, Green Satisfaction, and Green Trust. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(2), 307–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0223-9
Coppola, C., Vollero, A., & Siano, A. (2021). Consumer upcycling as emancipated self-production: Understanding motivations and identifying upcycler types. Journal of Cleaner Production, 285, 124812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124812
Flyvbjerg1, B. (2011). What is a case study? The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research, 301.
Filimonau, V., Krivcova, M., & Pettit, F. (2019). An exploratory study of managerial approaches to food waste mitigation in coffee shops. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 76, 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.04.010
Gardetti, M. A. (2018). Introduction and the concept of circular economy. In Circular Economy in Textiles and Apparel: Processing, Manufacturing, and Design (pp. 1–11). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102630-4.00001-7
Geissdoerfer, M., Morioka, S. N., de Carvalho, M. M., & Evans, S. (2018). Business models and supply chains for the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 190, 712–721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.04.159
Ghisellini, P., Cialani, C., & Ulgiati, S. (2016). A review on circular economy: the expected transition to a balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 114, 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.007
Han, H. (2021). Consumer behavior and environmental sustainability in tourism and hospitality: a review of theories, concepts, and latest research. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(7), 1021–1042. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1903019
Huamao, X., & Fengqi, W. (2007). Circular economy development mode based on system theory. Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment, 5(4), 92–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/10042857.2007.10677537
Isaac-Bamgboye, F. J., Onyeaka, H., Isaac-Bamgboye, I. T., Chukwugozie, D. C., & Afolayan, M. (2025). Upcycling technologies for food waste management: safety, limitations, and current trends. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17518253.2025.2533894
Johnston, M. P. (2014). Secondary data analysis: A method of which the time has come. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, 3(3), 619–626.
Jones, P., & Wynn, M. G. (2019). The circular economy, natural capital and resilience in tourism and hospitality. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(6), 2544–2563. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-05-2018-0370
Jayasinghe, R., Liyanage, N., & Baillie, C. (2021). Sustainable waste management through eco-entrepreneurship: an empirical study of waste upcycling eco-enterprises in Sri Lanka. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 23(2), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-020-01140-0
Kang, S., & Hur, W. (2012). Investigating the Antecedents of Green Brand Equity: A Sustainable Development Perspective. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 19(5), 306–316. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.281
Karmee, S. K. (2018). A spent coffee grounds based biorefinery for the production of biofuels, biopolymers, antioxidants and biocomposites. In Waste Management (Vol. 72, pp. 240–254). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.10.042
Kasavan, S., Siron, R., Yusoff, S., & Fakri, M. F. R. (2022). Drivers of food waste generation and best practice towards sustainable food waste management in the hotel sector: a systematic review. In Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Vol. 29, Issue 32, pp. 48152–48167). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19984-4
Khandelwal, U., Kulshreshtha, K., & Tripathi, V. (2019). Importance of Consumer-based Green Brand Equity: Empirical Evidence. Paradigm: A Management Research Journal, 23(1), 83–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0971890719844428
Kirchherr, J., Yang, N. H. N., Schulze-Spüntrup, F., Heerink, M. J., & Hartley, K. (2023). Conceptualizing the Circular Economy (Revisited): An Analysis of 221 Definitions. In Resources, Conservation and Recycling (Vol. 194). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107001
Leverenz, D., Hafner, G., Moussawel, S., Kranert, M., Goossens, Y., & Schmidt, T. (2021). Reducing food waste in hotel kitchens based on self-reported data. Industrial Marketing Management, 93, 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.08.008
Lindsey, T. C. (2011). Sustainable principles: common values for achieving sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 19(5), 561–565.
Manniche, J., Larsen, K. T., & Broegaard, R. B. (2021). The circular economy in tourism: transition perspectives for business and research. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 21(3), 247–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2021.1921020
Martin-Rios, C., Demen-Meier, C., Gössling, S., & Cornuz, C. (2018). Food waste management innovations in the foodservice industry. Waste Management, 79, 196–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.07.033
Mayson, S., & Williams, I. D. (2021). Applying a circular economy approach to valorize spent coffee grounds. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105659
Mura, P., & Sharif, S. P. (2017). Narrative analysis in tourism: A critical review. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 17(2), 194–207.
Ng, P. F., Butt, M. M., Khong, K. W., & Ong, F. S. (2014). Antecedents of green brand equity: An integrated approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 121(2), 203–215.
Nguyen-Viet, B. (2023). The impact of green marketing mix elements on green customer based brand equity in an emerging market. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 15(1), 96–116.
Nikolaou, I. E., Jones, N., & Stefanakis, A. (2021). Circular Economy and Sustainability: the Past, the Present and the Future Directions. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00030-3
Samuel, A. U., Oyawale, F., & Fayomi, O. S. I. (2019). Effects of Waste Management in Beverage Industries: A Perspective. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1378(2). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1378/2/022048
Sealey, K. S., & Smith, J. (2014). Recycling for small island tourism developments: Food waste composting at Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma, Bahamas. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 92, 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2014.08.008
Singh, J., Sung, K., Cooper, T., West, K., & Mont, O. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling businesses – The case of textile and wood upcycling businesses in the UK. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 150, 104439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104439
Sorin, F., & Sivarajah, U. (2021). Exploring Circular economy in the hospitality industry: empirical evidence from Scandinavian hotel operators. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 21(3), 265–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2021.1921021
Strippoli, R., Gallucci, T., & Ingrao, C. (2024). Circular economy and sustainable development in the tourism sector – An overview of the truly-effective strategies and related benefits. In Heliyon (Vol. 10, Issue 17). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36801
Suárez-Eiroa, B., Fernández, E., Méndez-Martínez, G., & Soto-Oñate, D. (2019). Operational principles of circular economy for sustainable development: Linking theory and practice. In Journal of Cleaner Production (Vol. 214, pp. 952–961). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.271
Udodiugwu, M. I. (2024). Sustainable waste management and organizational performance of food and beverage firms. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 5(4), 241–254. https://doi.org/10.35912/amor.v5i4.2004
Vargas-Sánchez, A. (2018). The unavoidable disruption of the circular economy in tourism. In Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (Vol. 10, Issue 6, pp. 652–661). Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-08-2018-0056
Wilson, M. (2016). When creative consumers go green: understanding consumer upcycling. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 25(4), 394–399. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2015-0972
Winans, K., Kendall, A., & Deng, H. (2017). The history and current applications of the circular economy concept. In Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (Vol. 68, pp. 825–833). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.09.123
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Authors submitting a manuscript do so on the understanding that if accepted for publication, copyright publishing of the article shall be assigned to Entrepreneurship Bisnis Manajemen Akuntansi (E-BISMA)
Â
Entrepreneurship Bisnis Manajemen Akuntansi (E-BISMA)Â is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
1.png)
