It takes a village – and every village needs a good cafe and pub. Since the earliest days of commerce, hospitality establishments have served diverse community functions: as local employers, gathering places, post offices and accommodation for weary travellers.

While our industry today is duly focused on providing F&B experiences and products, many operators deploy their businesses and brands to champion worthy social justice causes. Increasingly, venues around the country are committing themselves to empowering and transforming lives through hospitality.

For Tasmanians, upward mobility is further out of reach than it is for their mainlander counterparts. When chef Emily Briffa noticed this disparity, she started Hamlet to equip disadvantaged locals with the skills to pick up jobs in hospitality and its related industries – all the while working to dispel the myth of the “perfect employee”.

Hamlet, Masters of:

01. Sense of Purpose

Cafes can play a hefty role in communities of all shapes and sizes. Hamlet stands out by virtue of its registered charity status and ongoing mission to support underrepresented Tasmanians with paths to gainful employment.

02. Conversation Starter

Without ever having to stop people on the street and shove a flyer in their hands, Hamlet has raised awareness about unemployment statewide – along with other related issues, such as rates of adult literacy and numeracy.

03. The Community Hub

Beyond its mission as a social enterprise, Hamlet also acts as a focal point of its slice of Hobart. Small-batch goods sold at the cafe are, by and large, locally made by operators with shared values (and shared volunteers).

Check out Hamlet’s Instagram, and make sure to drop by the next time you’re in Tassie.

This Trend Alert is excerpted from the A+ Future Trends Report 2024–25, a holistic deep-dive into what we know will impact hospitality operators in coming years. Learn how you can gain access to the full report here.