Sustainability

The Heke is committed to having not only less negative impact but a net positive impact on our community, our region, and the world. We’re lucky to be a new business able to make decisions on our sustainable focus, right from the planning stages. 

In all our everyday actions, we strive to be leaders in sustainable hospitality & tourism. This is in line with our values and we believe it is the only choice; to take responsibility for the impact we make for current and future New Zealanders. 

For example, in a recent report for the year from June 2023 to June 2024, The Heke diverted 4150 kg of food scraps from landfills, preventing 10,375 kg of CO2 emissions. This audited number is reported from our partners at The Compost Co.

The following is not exhaustive and we will continue to update this as a living document, but we’re proud of the actions we have taken here at The Heke. We are open to feedback so after reading this, send any feedback you may have to hello@theheke.co.nz 

In the restaurant, The Heke Kitchen:

100% of table water for our guests is filtered sparkling and still water, served from our taps into bottles which are sterilised and reused. This saves resources (money) for our guests. There are no single use water bottles for us to recycle, saving hundreds of bottles per week. 

95% of our beer is sold by the glass or jug. Beer is poured from taps. The beer is delivered in reusable kegs. The beer bottles and cans that go to recycling are no and low alcohol, saving thousands of items sent to recycling per busy week. 

70% of our wine is served in carafe or glass. We select high quality local wines from sustainable-minded suppliers, delivered in reusable or recyclable kegs. As a result we save thousands of single serve wine bottles going to waste each year. 

100% of the premium gin and vodka served here is distilled on site using botanicals from our own property where possible, and bottled (excise paid!) in refilled sterilised bottles. There are no gin or vodka bottles to recycle, substantially less ‘air miles’ and waste. 

100% of our RTD's (e.g. vodka & gin based seltzers) are served in jug or glass. There are no RTD cans or bottles to recycle

100% of cider is served in jugs or glass. There are no cider cans or bottles to recycle 

We carry out on-site waste sorting of our glass into glass colours, tins, cans, and plastic. All recycling is able to be processed efficiently and avoids ‘mixed recycling’ which is often contaminated and rejected. 

All food waste is collected to be composted here on the island. The program is amazing. Waste is substantially minimised, compost is used to produce local crops.  This program has had an enormous impact. Involving the whole team, we started composting all food waste from the kitchen, and all food waste from plates. Every time we clear a table the plates are scraped into the food water bins, before washing. The team are all proud to work together on this, and the results are rewarding.

WRT Report: July-Dec 2023 in the first six months of the program, The Heke contributed 2150 kg of food waste to the competing program. Thats is over 2 tonnes of waste.

WRT Report: July 23 - June 24 was our first full year. In 12 months The Heke team contributed 83 wheeley bins full of food from the kitchen and plate scraps. That’s over 4 tonnes (or 4150 kgs to be exact) of food scraps out of landfill, and 10,375 kgs of equivalent CO2 emissions that weren't created at landfill sites!