Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
48 STiR tea & coffee industry international n a world map Australia and New Zealand are physically far removed, separat- ed by a 2,500 mile stretch of Pacific Ocean. On a cultural level, both countries share many similarities. Although they may not readily admit it, Australians and New Zealanders are very, very close brethren. This clearly extends to coffee, where almost all aspects that define Australians' coffee drinking habits generally hold true for New Zealanders. The pleasure is in the detail As more and more consumers begin to appreciate the nuances of specialty coffee, the café landscape in New Zealand's cities and towns is expanding in sync with its larger neighbor a few flight hours north west. "Factors like the country of origin, processing method, roasting, and brewing of coffee are becoming not only better understood by end consumers, but are now also a point of interest to them, as they're increasingly offered a range of brewing methods such as Chemex, V60 and AeroPress at various cafés," said Aymon McQuade, execu- tive director of the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association (NZSCA). Never before has the value of a cup of coffee in the country's cafés been greater in terms of quality in the cup than today, according to McQuade. This reflects the efforts of numerous people involved in the supply chain, from farmer to importers to roasters right down to café operator and baristas. Intrepid coffee explorers If there is any difference between New Zealand coffee lovers and their Australian con- temporaries, it surely must be the formers' willingness to experiment a bit more and discover uncharted territory. "It's hard to say which [coffee types] are most popular, but we're seeing that consumers are increasingly eager to explore single-origin coffees instead of blends, as well as different roast profiles and brewing methods, which is a promising development," explains McQuade. And while Australians still value their milk-laced espresso-type coffees above anything else, in New Zealand there appears to emerge a consumer preference for coffees with smaller milk proportions. Like wine, so coffee On the domestic front, the growth in coffee expertise of the average coffee drinker has had an impact, too, with people now being able to take home a range of specialty coffees to brew. O AymonMcQaude, executive director, New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association Photo courtesy of NZSCA New Zealand Prefers a Nuanced Brew Sarah Lindquist pulling shots at "The Hangar" in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo courtesy Flight Coffee Flight Coffee's flagship store in Welling- ton is known as "The Hangar."