Sign In / Register
After three years on the road, Drifter Coffee NZ has found a home at 1/3 George Lowe Place, in Ōrewa.
The decision to operate from a permanent location means that Raglan Roast coffee is available every weekday from 7am to 1pm.
Drifter Coffee owner Maddy Bennett says there is huge demand for Raglan Roast beans.
“Fortunately, I know a guy who knows the owner,” she says.
Maddy, 25, grew up in Waiwera and is a qualified barista and has an event management degree from AUT. She worked in hospitality in the United States for about two years, before returning to NZ to start Drifter as a mobile business.
She is in the process of securing a second coffee cart so she can continue to go to local markets and summer events such as the Rhythm in Vines festival.
While Maddy enjoys the variety of having a travelling business, she says having a permanent place to socialise is one of the best parts of the job.
“People are the best part of coffee. Now that I have the shop, there is a space for people to let off some steam and have a coffee to make it better,” she says.
“Monks weren’t allowed to drink wine, so would discuss these big ideas over a cup of coffee. The French revolution started in coffee houses, too – it’s a societally social thing.”
Turning what was previously a welding workshop in George Lowe Place into a comfy, coastal social house has been a DIY up-cycling project for Maddy and her family.
The tables are made from old doors and the signs are homemade from recycled materials.
All of the couches are second-hand, and customers can choose their own ‘thrifted mug’ to drink from in store.
Maddy keeps her business as environmentally friendly as possible by using compostable takeaway cups, giving customers a discount if they bring their own cups, and using wastewater on the shop’s garden.
She hopes the taste of Raglan Roast, the homeliness of the shop and the company of her dog Cracka will set Drifter NZ apart from other local coffee shops.
“I want this to be a place where people can really chill-out, because Lord knows Ōrewa doesn’t need another coffee place!”
