About Restore
1.
What is RESTORE?
The Restore Project is a convenient and eco-friendly way to have fresh milk and other products delivered to your doorstep. This service replaces single-use plastic packaging with reusable glass bottles that are collected, sanitised, and refilled after each delivery. This closed-loop system reduces plastic waste and promotes sustainability, while connecting you to produce from excellent local farmers.
2.
How does RESTORE's service work?
You sign up for a subscription of your preferred products via our website. The delivery service provides you with fresh products in reusable glass bottles at scheduled intervals, either weekly or fortnightly. After use, the empty bottles are collected on your next scheduled delivery, and you receive freshly filled bottles.
3.
Why is The Restore Project important?
Because the big players are not doing enough and do not give consumers sustainable alternatives. Because the supermarkets prioritise convenience over sustainability. Because supporting a health farming sector contributes to a healthy society. There has to be a better way that is less wasteful. We can all see an urgent need to reduce our reliance on plastic and to support farmers. RESTORE is empowering consumers to take real action in their own homes. It’s giving them a real choice that will make a big difference to their local environment and community.
4.
Is this like the old ‘milkman’?
Yes, very similar! Our model is not new. It’s simply restoring what we once had. Taking us back to our grandparents’ days when there was no single-use plastic. The ‘milkman’ supplied our neighbourhoods for decades with milk in reused glass bottles. Yet the need to reduce plastic waste and the need to support our farmers are challenges of our times.
5.
How does RESTORE help Aussie farmers?
We are all aware of the plight of the Australian dairy industry, with farms decimated by supermarket price wars and natural disasters. RESTORE works to support the dairy industry by sourcing from independent dairies and paying them a fair price for each litre of milk. We’re sure that you will taste the difference!
6.
What are the benefits of using glass bottles?
Using glass bottles reduces plastic waste. By reusing bottles, this supports a circular economy that minimises the need for constant production of new packaging materials. Glass bottles are also airtight and non-reactive, preserving the quality of the milk and preventing any unwanted flavours or chemicals leaching into the milk. Glass bottles are the safer and more environmentally friendly option.
The NSW Return And Earn scheme doesn’t cover the plastic bottles used for milk and yoghurt, making them a major source of household rubbish.
7.
Is the service available in my area?
RESTORE’s service area currently covers 33 Sydney
postcodes, being 2010, 2011, 2015, 2021-2028, 2037-2050, 2060-2062,
2065, 2088-2090 and 2130. We are currently limited to this area in order
to ensure efficient delivery planning.
Our service will continue
to expand based on the waitlist, so to register your interest for the
next expansion, please email us your postcode to hello@restore.au.
8.
Where can i buy the products outside the service area?
For those outside our service area, we're keen to set up a retail network so that you have the chance to participate.
RESTORE products are currently sold at retailers in Northwood, Pyrmont and McMahons Point.
If have a local bakery, cafe or store that is a community hub and that might be interested in being a bottle exchange hub, please let us know and we'll get in touch with them.
9.
I’ve heard about Milkrun. Is this the same thing?
No. RESTORE is about reducing packaging through an entirely plastic-free supply chain and a circular system that reuses containers again and again. Milkrun was a service that focused on delivering groceries within a short timeline.
10.
How do I contact customer support?
For more information about The Restore Project, or if you have any questions or feedback, our customer support team can assist you. Get in touch via our Contact form or email us at hello@restore.au.
Ordering & Subscription
1.
How will I know how many bottles I need each week?
We're not used to thinking about purchasing in weekly cycles. Our customer usually tweak their orders in the first few weeks until they find the right amount. And then it's set-and-forget.
Your account management tools means you can always amend quantities if you need more (or fewer) in a given week.
2.
How is RESTORE different from supermarket milk?
We can’t compete with the big players and we’re not trying to. Their model relies on cheap packaging (plastic) that is discarded once used - without thought for the long-term consequences on our health or planet, and is characterised by a power imbalance between the supermarkets and their suppliers.
When you are buying RESTORE, you're getting the best and freshest local milk. Your farmers are being paid a fair price. We package your products in glass and provide a service that delivers, collects empties, washes and refills to achieve a circular economy.
3.
How do i join?
It's very simple: visit our Shop page and choose your products and delivery cycle (weekly or fortnightly). Your order is set up as a subscription and will automatically process future orders meaning you can set-and-forget.
You can pause, edit or cancel your subscription at any time.
4.
Why is it important that I sign up for a subscription?
To achieve our aim of reducing single-use packaging, we need customers to return their glass bottles. We require that you sign up for a subscription (i.e. a regular delivery) in order to put you into our circular RESTORE system, and to be able to schedule collection of your empty containers on subsequent deliveries. You can cancel or pause your subscription at any time, giving you full flexibility of how often you receive deliveries.
5.
Can I make a one-time purchase of a product?
If you have subscribed to any of our products, you have the option to add a one-off purchase of any other product in a given week. This can be done via your customer portal or weekly reminder email.
6.
What do i do if I'm going to be away?
Your self-management tools allow you to skip a delivery or pause your deliveries until you are ready again. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
7.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Please give us at least 5 days’ notice prior to your next scheduled delivery.
8.
Are there any additional fees for delivery?
No
9.
What is your refund policy?
We're confident that you'll love our fresh products. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with them, please return them for a full refund.
10.
Is there a minimum order?
No
Our Products
1.
How long does the milk stay fresh?
RESTORE has been set up to give you direct access to the dairy. Our milk leaves the dairy on a Wednesday afternoon with the first deliveries to homes starting Thursday midnight.
Our milk comes with a best-before of at least 11 days from delivery. It doesn't get much fresher!
2.
What milk do you use and is it locally sourced?
RESTORE works with Australian farmers and producers to get you the best produce. This ensures that you're getting high-quality, sustainable products while enabling ethical consumer choices.
Our milk is single-source, homogenised Jersey from an independent dairy on the Far South Coast. We believe it's the best milk in NSW! Read more about our dairy here
3.
Why Jersey milk?
Many milk lovers prefer milk produced from Jersey cows because it tastes richer, contains more nutrients and has a high concentration of A2 protein.
4.
Are the cows grass fed?
Yes. The dairy's Jersey cows spend 18 hours on the grass each day
5.
Is your yoghurt Greek or Greek-style?
The yoghurt is a true Greek yoghurt made in the traditional way (involving straining) and with no gums, thickeners etc.
The all-natural ingredients are shown on our product page.
RESTORE yoghurt is made in Sydney and, in our opinion, the best yoghurt in NSW!
6.
Why don't you have any plant-based milks?
We would love to have non-dairy options. Sadly, there is not one Australian producer of any plant-based milk that is prepared to move away from plastic and we're not prepared to compromise. We've contacted them all! ... But we might have missed one... so if you have a favourite alt-milk, please let us know and we reach out to them.
Delivery
1.
How often will I receive deliveries?
Deliveries are made to your area once a week. You can choose to receive your fresh products every week or choose a fortnightly schedule to best suit your needs.
Deliveries to the North Shore and Inner West are early Friday mornings, and deliveries to Waverley, Woollahra, City of Sydney, Inner West (2044, 2045 and 2130) and Canada Bay Councils are early Saturday mornings.
2.
What time will my delivery be made?
Wake up to fresh dairy products at your door. Our milkmen start in the very early and aim to have all deliveries done by 07:30.
3.
What about warm evenings?
We’re all about freshness, and as such, your full of nutrients dairy-to-door produce is delivered chilled in the early morning. It’s optional; you decide whether to use a cooler bag or box or not. If you do, please consider your milkman opening and closing yours in the semi-dark and make it as user-friendly as possible.
Cooler bags or boxes can also be useful for those living in apartments with shared entrances.
4.
How will I know when my order will be delivered?
When you place a subscription, you will choose from our weekly or fortnightly service. On the afternoon prior to deliveries, you will receive an email notifying you that your products are on their way and should be there for you when you wake up. We aim to deliver before 07:30.
5.
Where will my driver leave deliveries?
When placing your order, you will be asked to provide instructions of where you would like your driver to leave your deliveries.
We deliver in the dark and do not want to wake you, your neighbours, or a sleeping dog, so we will collect your empties and place your fresh delivery just inside your gate. If you happen not to have one, we’ll put it beside your post box. You might even leave an esky or icebox for us to place the containers into. If it’s an apartment, please label your receptacle so we can be sure to make the correct delivery.
6.
Do you deliver to apartments?
Yes! Our service is focused on urban areas and so many of our customers live in apartments. If entry is not restricted, your milkman will drop your products inside the lobby. If we cannot, we will deliver outside the main doors or in a safe space suggested by you when you join. There is a field provided when signing up for you to provide these instructions to help your milkman.
Some customers choose to leave out coolers/iceboxes with their names. Please note, due to the time we deliver, we can't ring buzzers, text or call.
Bottle Care & Return
1.
What happens to the empty containers?
After you've used the products, we ask you to wash the empty bottles and jars (as you would your glassware) and leave them on your doorstep for collection during your next scheduled delivery. The containers are restored by thoroughly sanitising them using industry-standard processes to ensure hygiene and safety. They are then ready to be refilled for your next order. This process ensures a closed-loop system where packaging waste is significantly reduced.
2.
How do I care for the bottle?
RESTORE is a partnership and we need your help in ensuring the functioning of our circular system. When caring for your bottles, think of them as you would your own glassware.
Please rinse and scrub your bottles and jars using the bottle brush provided when you join. Next make them sparkle by running them through the dishwasher (or handwashing if you don't have one). Then return them with pride, without the lids, knowing they will be sanitised and refilled.
3.
How do I return the empty containers to restore?
The Restore Project is a circular process. That means that you are not only a ‘customer’ but a partner in the RESTORE process. We cannot achieve our goals of waste reduction without your participation. That means, firstly, dishwashing or handwashing your empty containers to make them sparkle. Although your bottles are rewashed and sanitised at our facility, that small step makes an ENORMOUS difference! Second, returning those sparkling fresh containers, which is as simple as leaving them out for collection by your driver the evening before your next delivery.
4.
Do I have to finish last week's bottles by collection day?
No. Your milkman does not need a like-for-like swap each delivery. So long as your bottles make it back to us, it doesn't matter from one week to the next.
5.
What happens if a glass bottle breaks or gets damaged?
Accidents can happen. If a glass bottle breaks or chips while in your possession, please dispose of this in your rubbish. Do not return it for collection!
6.
Can I recycle the containers myself?
While it's possible to recycle the containers yourself, the idea behind RESTORE is to minimise waste through reuse. By returning the containers, you actively participate in the closed-loop system and contribute to reducing your environmental impact. Additionally, while recycling is encouraged, what we put in our household recycling bin typically ends up dumped in landfill and is not recycled. The NSW EPA puts this figure at over 60%.
7.
What do I do with the lids?
Despite our best efforts to save and reuse our lids, this has proven no longer practical.
We’ve learned that they age quicker than a Mayfly, which lives for only one day, making them unsuitable for reuse. So we ask that you please help us cling to our commitment to a cycle of reuse by recycling what are now your lids and
returning our bottles to us naked. Also, placing a lid on a bottle traps any moisture and bacteria and contaminates it.
8.
Can I hang onto the bottles and jars to use at home?
We love our bottles! And we need them back. The bottles and jars you receive are part of a closed-loop system to be refilled and reused by your community. Our model is based on the premise that those bottles come back. RESTORE does not to ask for deposits on bottles because the reason participants are signing up to be part of the circular economy.