How did you brew up the idea for your own coffee business?
I was travelling around the states in the mid 80s, cheffing and generally
being a bit of a ski bum. I ended up in Seattle; Starbucks had three shops
and the specialty coffee scene was really in its infancy. There was an
espresso cart designed by a Boeing engineer at the 5th Avenue monorail
station, and as soon as I saw it I could see this model for a low entry-
cost business I could start back in New Zealand. I built a cart and set it
up in a market at the University of Auckland, and we grew from there.
Why is human connection such an important part of the
Allpress philosophy?
As a brand, we exist to bring people together with great flavour –
for us, coffee is about flavour and the magic that happens when we
come together.
What are some of your favourite memories from the past
30 years?
There are almost too many to choose, but the memory of jumping in
the van and buying our first sacks of green coffee and running them
through this old drum roaster we had rebuilt is up there. That coffee
tasted pretty shocking, but we were on a journey. We were applying
heat to beans and that’s created so many experiences since.
What makes Allpress coffee special?
We’re absolutely dedicated to flavour – it’s been a constant pursuit
for us. Buying the best-quality coffee is obviously at the centre of this,
but during my time in America I kept coming across this flavour that
really stood out. I’d make the enquiry – who roasted it, what kind of
roaster they used – and there was this common thread: it was always
hot-air roasting. To this day, I think it’s a far superior way to roast and
what led us to building our own coffee roasters.
How has sustainability become a core part of your brand?
After 30 years, we’ve developed a network of buildings, employees,
customers and vehicles – it’s a lot of responsibility and we’re commit-
ted to constantly improving our impact on the planet. Our approach is
based around social, environmental and economic sustainability – we
believe in supporting the communities we’re a part of, minimising our
environmental impact by taking control of our waste and helping our
customers develop thriving businesses so they can lead full lives and
focus on what they do best: bringing people together.How have things changed in the coffee industry?
For a start, there’s a lot more competition! It feels like more and more
roasters are piling in, which does make it challenging. The coffee
industry is a funny thing. It can be a noisy, inward-looking and very
trend-driven place. We do our best to follow our own path and look
elsewhere for inspiration. When we started out, coffee was roasted
so dark it was almost black; in recent times, it’s swung to the other
extreme and, all the while, we have danced through the middle. All
we can do is stick to our beliefs: whether that be the way we roast or
the support we offer our customers. It’s incredibly hard to make a cafe
business work, so we do our best to protect our customers from the
distractions. Great flavour is the constant and it’s a pursuit that will
never be over.What are your own morning rituals?
I wake up every morning and stumble to the coffee pot. I’ll brew up a
filter into a little stainless steel teapot – I like the balance of blended
coffee and I like it strong! I’ll usually then pick up a book. That’s the
perfect morning for me.How do you maintain a good work–life balance?
This is not something I’ve done particularly well, but I’m learning. It’s
very hard to be entrepreneurial and let go of your baby. We’ve focused
hard on getting the right people in place and making sure the culture
and values of the business are secure – this is an absolute necessity.
And then it’s just a matter of letting the young people in the business
bring their magic. They’ll always surprise you, and for me it’s about
learning to embrace that.What is it about a good cup of coffee that makes people
so happy?
It’s because coffee creates great moments. It’s a vehicle for human
connection, and that’s what the world needs now, more than ever. ”
“
Coffee creates great moments. It’s a vehicle
for human connection and that’s what the
world needs now, more than ever.