Toni and Daniel Neuhaus.
Local cafe, luncheon, community venue and supporter of causes worldwide, Trader & Co. have made their mark on the Yass Valley, with a lot to offer. First established in 2016, Trader and Co has made its place over the years as an essential community business, hosting events and meetings and is an easy, relaxing place to stop for a good morning coffee, a place to have a yarn, and have the peace of mind knowing that you’re supporting a sustainable, ethical business with whole ingredients and supplies.
Trader & Co. owners Daniel and Toni Neuhaus met with the Yass Valley Times, discussing their range of stock, supply, history, community roles and values, and what sets them apart as a pillar of the Yass Valley.
Many upon hearing the business name will think instantly of their coffee and juice bar, but as ethical retailers, Trader & Co. have more to offer, including whole foods, household supplies and more, with the whole foods selection a particular draw to the community, and an unusual element that separates them from other businesses.
With a wide array of Australian-grown and organic grains, seeds, cooking ingredients and more, including but not limited to rice, flours, seeds, nuts, grains, cereals, mixes, pulses, lentils and other dried household staples, Trader and Co. offers customers the opportunity to buy what they need in whatever quantity they need, allowing you to weigh items in your own containers, free of packaging with a range of standard supermarket stock to more alternative options. The products are sustainably and ethically sourced, providing information about the origin and processing.
“They are either Australian grown, organic or often both, but I guess the main selling point behind them is that they’re packaging free, you bring your own jar or bag to refill and they don’t all come in plastic packaging”, said Daniel.
“We have alternative options —- Sometimes being able to buy from here is because it’s much more sustainable and often a cheaper option. There’s less packaging and other times also you may only want to buy a small amount, say 50 grams for a recipe, and you can buy in smaller amounts and figure out what works for you”, said Toni.
“It’s a very reliable source for us to purchase from. We know they’re great quality and ethical.”
Locally produced items are also available, including honey and olive oil. Other items outside of Whole Foods include juices and beverages, as well as homeware including toilet paper, cleaning products, kitchen products and other sustainably made items, meeting their core values of ethical and sustainable products. “It’s just what we do and who we are”, said Daniel.
Beginning as a coffee van around 2014, Daniel and Toni met with fellow mobile supplier and juice van (Juicie Lucie) Sophie Peer, who upon joining together with Kate Macmaster, established Trader & Co in three divisions, a coffee, juice and ethical retail supplier in 2016. While Sophie and Kate would ultimately follow other projects, Toni and Daniel remained, with the business only building from there, currently amassing some 22 employees hired locally from Yass and surrounding areas.
“We just had a dream, how cool would it be if we opened a coffee and juice bar?”, said Toni.
“And so we did, and that was Trader and Co”, said Daniel.
The establishment of Trader and Co also tied back to Daniel and Toni’s history, who prior to their ownership of Trader and Co were previously missionaries, working overseas with vulnerable children, youth and families.
“We worked with a few different organisations in south-east Asia who were working to prevent human trafficking and sexual slavery, particularly in children.” says Daniel.
Volunteering for just shy of a decade, Toni and Daniel felt it was important to remain connected, choosing to support the organisation financially.
“Those were our passions. We made relationships with a few organisations, and when we came back to Australia we wanted to still support them in a way, and this was our way of being able to financially help them”, said Toni.
This support comes in many forms, such as the Every Bean Counts promise through Six8 Coffee Roasters, in which $1 from every kg of coffee sold is given to organisations such as Destiny Rescue.
However, Toni and Daniel still provide direct support when available, with plans to go to Cambodia next month to provide support to one of their affiliated groups.
Trader and Co. support other community programs and events, including Rural Australians for Refugees, workshops and event nights such as crochet workshops, information sessions and art competitions, community events such as the Irish & Celtic Music Festival and regularly host meetings such as the monthly Business Chamber Breakfasts.
“It’s just often a great community atmosphere, and we felt really supported by our community”, said Daniel. Trader and Co. is located at 92 Meehan St, Yass, and is open from 8 am to 3 pm on Weekdays, and 9 am to 2 pm on Saturdays.
