Bag's best thing since sliced bread

Five years ago, Dominic Elliott knew little about bread - but today that family staple is taking this Scarborough resident around the world.

The 24-year-old’s reusable bread bags, made from recycled plastic bottles, are being sold in the US, Mexico, Canada and Australia.

He now plans to launch in Germany and hopefully the UK this year - and is negotiating with Bakers Delight to expand a trial in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

Under the brand Think4earth, Dominic does business in four continents and has sold more than 150,000 bread bags, bringing in more than $3 million,

For that remarkable achievement he won the 2024 Redcliffe Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Retail Business category.

The Southern Cross Catholic College graduate is “surprised” by the success but says it has made his “commitment to creating a sustainable future even stronger”.

On leaving school Dominic, then just 18, started Elliott Importing with a mission to “reduce single-use plastics and offer sustainable alternatives”.

Determined to “make a meaningful impact on the environment” he started product research, completed business courses and went to events.

It was during the research he spotted bread bags “you could literally see through”. “I wondered, how are these keeping bread fresh?” he said.

“We looked through bread bags on the market, redesigned them and launched in the US, then expanded to Canada, Mexico and now Australia - all selling online.”

“I knew very little about bread when this started, but it has been a really interesting journey – a lot of learning and a real eye-opener.

“Bread is a real science, especially here in Australia, where you need bread to be able to breathe a little bit, otherwise it goes mouldy really fast.

“If you get a paper bag from a bakery is breathes too much and goes stale. These bags are a happy medium to keep bread fresh.”

Dominic has expanded into bread boards made from plastic bottle tops and is at Redcliffe Markets each week, “engaging directly with customers”.

He was also at last year’s Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival, the Ekka and Brisbane Food and Wine Show, as well as Christmas markets at West End, the Powerhouse and Rocklea.

When launching his trial with Bakers Delight, Dominic even went around 17 stores to train staff on how to use and promote the bread bags.

He would also “love” to collaborate with Bakers Delight on themed bags for such as Easter or initiatives like Breast Cancer Awareness.

Plans this year include launching a new bread bag design with a valve to adjust the airflow depending on the type of bread and climate conditions.

Dominic is also developing a reusable coffee bag with a degassing valve to keep beans fresh. He hopes to launch it at Nelly Coffee, Clontarf, before selling online and overseas.

He will also be at the East Sydney Show, Big Design Show and Little Food Market in Sydney and Melbourne.

More market stalls are planned and further wholesale deals, particularly with bakeries and coffee shops.

For further information visit www.elliottimporting.com and www.think4earth.com