[ OUR STORY ]
Our story began in 2011. A Melbournian wanted to share the joy of coffee and café culture with Hong Kong.
Thus, a small roastery and café was born. The quest for the perfect coffee took us through a phase of world competition judging, taking part in the development of baristas in Hong Kong and beyond – all the while, our strong wholesale operations saw us transforming the city’s coffee scene alongside our partner cafes and restaurants. We take pride as a driving force beyond Hong Kong’s coffee industry.
2016 was a year of change, where we laid down the judge’s clipboard, to instead embraced our work at origin, thus beginning our Direct Trade program with coffee producers. We are now proud to represent producers from all around the world – roasting and brewing the literal fruits of their labor. Along the way, we have developed new coffees and processes with them, taking a supporting role in the achievement of the Cup of Excellence award.
By now, our selection of coffees is unique in Asia and miles above. The vast majority of our coffees are purchased directly from our award-winning producers around the world.
Quality is an indispensable precursor, but our work doesn’t end there. Through our Direct Trade relationships, we support the ethical and sustainable production of coffee, so to keep this caffeinated beverage available for years to come. We’re talking about urging Environmental Sustainability, Social Sustainability and also Economic Sustainability in the production of coffees at our farms.
[ ORIGINS OF OUR COFFEE ]
Determined to offer Hongkongers more variety of coffee with excellent quality, origin trips are organized frequently to countries where coffee is grown, so to explore farms with potential, yet not known. We only look for coffee that brings the uniqueness of its country and its farm. For us, coffee is more than just a beverage, it also entails the story behind.
Being the first and so far the only coffee brand in Hong Kong that travels miles away to where coffee is produced, what we want is more than bringing good coffee home, but also influencing coffee lovers to know more about the story behind every cup. Direct trade has, thus, been adopted, which makes the whole process more transparent, from planting until serving to our customers.
In every origin trip, we do not only visit the farmers that we are already working with, but also explore more potential farmers. Every step in coffee plantation can make a huge difference in the taste of the cup, from cultivation, harvest to processing.
Not only do we care about the quality of coffee, but also its impact to the community and the environment. With careful examination of coffee farms, we aim at working with producers that also care about sustainability.
Our flight back to Hong Kong does not mark the end of our contact with the farmers. We keep close relations with them afterwards, in order to offer them support, and in return, quality of coffee can be guaranteed.
It has been the 9th year since we have worked with our first farmer. It is always excited to see their improvement. By paying fair prices to farmers, it allows investment to their farms and community, thus improving the quality of coffee and their living standard. All these helps to maintain sustainable future of coffee farmers.
Currently, we procure our coffee beans mainly from four countries, namely Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia and Indonesia. We also strive for finding more excellent coffee from difference places. After all, the search for better coffee is never-ending.