Meet Cathie Cottle
from KIND CAFE

KIND Morningside – Cathie Cottle

Position: Founder/Manager

How long have you and KIND been a part of The Fringe District?
My family and I have lived in Morningside for almost 15 years. We started Crave Cafe over 13 years ago, and KIND followed soon after. KIND is now almost 4 years old.

 

What do you love about being located in The Fringe District?
We love investing in the neighbourhood we live in. We believe people shouldn’t wait for someone else to change or improve their community. We should be creating the neighbourhood we want – for ourselves and for our children – to live in, go to school in, find community, make a positive difference, and celebrate or mourn together.

 

Tell us a bit about KIND and what makes it unique.
KIND exists to help make Morningside a healthier, greener place to live and work. We do this with an amazing, mostly plant-based menu, fantastic service, and workshops on topics ranging from healthy eating to composting, sustainable living, and reducing waste.

As a business, we work hard to reduce our waste – everything we use is compostable. We’re big supporters of the Againagain cup system, offering discounts for Keep Cups and containers, and we’re also cyclist-friendly. KIND is proudly solar-powered and sources most of our produce locally.

We work closely with the Morningside Urban Market Garden and provide for those with specific dietary requirements and food allergies. We’re also proud to partner with Common Good Coffee for their Mylk Blend – the only coffee brand in New Zealand that has developed a roast specifically for alternative milks.

 

What’s been your greatest challenge?
Aside from the challenges of COVID, our biggest hurdle has been encouraging customers to give vegetarian and vegan food a try. Breaking through the thought barrier of “every Kiwi needs to eat bacon for breakfast” has been no small feat!

What’s been your greatest achievement so far?
Our greatest achievement has been winning over locals who now couldn’t imagine enjoying their morning without our vegetarian food.

It all started with Bacon on the Menu for those who said they couldn’t do without it. Within a year, our community reached a place where this was no longer seen as necessary. Our fresh, mostly locally sourced ingredients and amazing flavours spoke for themselves.

Our Match Made in Vegan events, where we match six vegan dishes to six vegan wines, have been a huge success and attracted vegans and non-vegans alike.

 

What keeps you motivated to do what you do?
I love what I do. Our customers have become friends, and I feel like we’re making Morningside a better place to live and work.

 

What are your personal strengths?
I’m strategic, creative, and have a knack for visualising the potential of spaces. I also have a huge heart and passion for my community here in Morningside.

 

Who inspires you?
Our mantra is from Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

 

What are our neighbourhood’s strengths?
Morningside is creative, eclectic, diverse, and caring.

 

Words of wisdom for our community?
Put people first – always.
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

 

What role does KIND play within our community?
We help make Morningside healthier, greener, and more beautiful.