The State of Origin
Toby’s Estate has moved south in a move to claim a chunk of Melbourne’s coffee trade. The boutique coffee supplier distributes to over 100 cafés across New South Wales, and, wishing to remain boutique, has stopped its push across its home state, opting to focus its efforts on the coffee lovers of Melbourne. Toby’s has set up its flagship store off Sydney Road, with Guy Mathews providing his industrial touch to the fitout. venue talked to head roaster Chris Bonney about the off-the-beaten-track location and coffee.
venue: The plan was to move to Melbourne, so why not the CBD?
CB: For one, the middle of the city is pretty well catered for, and the rents are high. But more practically, we needed room to roast. It’s really tough to install a roaster in the middle of the city, not only in the space required, but because you’re burning something in the middle of the city. Even if you have very sophisticated afterburners and air scrubbers, it still smells like roasting coffee. You only need one complaint from someone that doesn’t like it, and the EPA shuts you down.
venue: What are you bringing to the coffee landscape, and how important is this shopfront to Toby’s?
CB: We have six blends, and with us, as with every coffee roaster, they’re our bread and butter. We also have upwards of 60 single origin coffees, basically from one plantation or region. Single origin coffees are still relatively new, and I don’t think peoplewould be willing to take them on if they didn’t have somewhere to try them first. Having our own café gives us a chance to do coffee exactly the way we want them done.