Tired commuters will be mad about Saffron

Saffron workers Leah Smith and Fatimah Karimi. Picture: Damjan Janevski

A Wyndham social enterprise that helps new migrants learn hospitality skills has won its bid to operate kiosks at the city’s newest train stations.

Morning commuters using Wyndham Vale and Tarneit stations can grab their morning cup of coffee and a cookie or muffin to eat at Saffron Kitchen, the kiosks of which will be open from 5am to 10am, Monday to Friday.

Saffron Kitchen was established in 2008 under the auspices of the Wyndham Community and Education Centre, initially operating one day a week by offering a community lunch.

The enterprise opened its first cafe in 2010 and these days has three in Wyndham and Hobsons Bay, plus healthy school canteens at Wyndham Park Primary School and Our Lady of the Southern Cross.

Kathy Brunton, from the Wyndham Community and Education Centre, said Saffron Kitchen was thrilled to win the station kiosks tender.

“Saffron social enterprises provide a training base for volunteers to come and learn hospitality skills,” she said.

“We have a lot of people that are newly arrived in Australia that volunteer in the cafes.

“At the end of it they have a skills checklist of all the things they can do, and we provide a reference for them to put on their resume.”

Ms Brunton said Saffron Kitchen might extend the kiosk opening hours and even open on weekends some time in the future.