Parent company Lion NZ has invested around $2 million in the new Havana Coffee Works’ 756m2 site at 69 St Georges Bay Rd, which includes a roastery, logistics, servicing and training hub, and espresso bar and will potentially add 19 people to the Havana Coffee Works team.
Havana Coffee Works General Manager Lee Brown said: “Havana was revolutionary when it started out in the 1980s and it has held onto its artisan, counterculture character while steadily growing in popularity.
“Havana’s Wellington HQ remains iconic, but with limited space, capital investment in a second location was the logical decision. The new Auckland site enables us to significantly increase production capacity to meet growing demand.
“Having a physical presence in Auckland also improves our ability
to be able to support, train and service a wider range of customers in more locations, as well as mitigate risk which has become ever-more critical over these past two years.
“Sustainability and quality are inextricably linked with Havana. These guiding principles are what drove Havana’s original move to hot-air roasting. Our Auckland Roastery also features an iconic Loring S70 Roaster, which produces 70 percent fewer carbon emissions, to replicate the same high quality single-origin coffee and blends as in Wellington.
“In authentic Havana style, the Auckland site will be an open-door roastery for visitors to observe, smell and taste the coffee first-hand and get to know the passionate and knowledgeable Havana team. Havana Coffee Works Auckland encapsulates the #CoffeeUFeel in every detail. A customised Stephen Templer mural highlights the building frontage and used furniture has been upcycled
and repurposed throughout,” says Brown.
Aotearoa is in the top 20 globally for coffee consumption per capita. Kiwis drink their way through around 10,700 tonnes of coffee beans per year, across all formats from instant coffee to café espresso.
New Zealand’s love of coffee has remained strong through the pandemic and the market is still growing, though where and how Kiwis drink coffee is changing with more people working from home.
“We have a vibrant café culture, but more and more people are now seeking that same high-quality coffee experience at home. In the past year, coffee bean sales in the supermarket category have grown around 25 percent, led by premium brands.
“Havana joined Lion in 2018 and we are excited to be investing in the brand and growing the team. Havana describes itself as the CoffeeUFeel, which is about the spiritual connection to the coffee not just about the caffeine! The Havana team is excited to bring the full CoffeeUFeel experience to Auckland with Havana Coffee Works now officially open in Parnell,” concluded Brown.
