Roastery
Zala Coffee Roastery is the lifeblood of the coffee projects we facilitate from our rustic farm shed.
Utilising our Head Roaster's years of experience in specialty coffee and the support of a wonderful team, we partner with ethical and sustainability-focused green coffee traders to produce delicious coffee in small batches.
Rather than say "our coffee", we prefer to acknowledge that the coffee we roast has passed through many hands before we receive it. So if we ever refer to it as "ours" it's definitely a collective term. Not to diminish our input at all, but an incredible amount of effort, passion and labour goes into growing, harvesting, processing, packing, shipping and warehousing coffee before roasters, baristas and consumers can appreciate the wonders of these mysterious little seeds.
Our artisanal approach to roasting leaves plenty of space for collaboration, so that our espresso bar customers and wholesale partners can provide us with valuable feedback to tweak our roast profiles. It’s just one of the ways in which we work together to make the coffee experience better.
Our coffee is available for wholesale and retail customers, with all proceeds helping to support Barista Training, respite accomodation at Ukuzala House and the permaculture garden.
If you’re interested in partnering with us in your local cafe, get in touch at hello@zalacoffee.org.au, or request access to our wholesale store by clicking here.
Arnie's Espresso Bar
opened October 2023
Arnie's is the public face of our coffee projects, a place where fresh brews flow and community grows. This cute little caravan and the ethos behind it is our way of nurturing community connections and sharing delicious coffee with our lovely locals and weekend visitors. From the moment Arnie's serving windows were swung open, our energetic, compassionate and dedicated team have strived to prioritise people, forging deep and vibrant human connections without compromising the coffee experience.
- coming 2025 -
Barista Training
Training the next generation of Baristas has been a long-standing component of Ukuzala’s broad social enterprise, and imparting the knowledge and skills necessary to craft tasty coffee is a continuing priority.
Our dedicated and experienced team is equipped to train and mentor people from all walks of life to prepare them for meaningful and sustainable employment in the hospitality industry. Our approach to training allows the necessary time and space for trainees to learn essential espresso techniques at a fundamental level, encouraging them to move beyond knowing which button to press on the machine they were trained on, towards the ability to produce delicious coffee on a range of espresso machines and coffee grinders.
True to our broader ethos, all of this knowledge and practical skill development is infused with a deep appreciation for the human element, positioning coffee-making as a vital connection point for care and conversation that makes for a truly meaningful shared experience.
Courses are structured with varying skill levels in mind, allowing a comfortable entry point for beginners while also providing opportunities for advanced outcomes for career-minded coffee enthusiasts. Domestic-oriented courses are also available for people looking to improve their home coffee game or better understand what kind of home coffee setup is right for them before investing in expensive equipment.
For more information on commercial or domestic coffee training, reach out at hello@zalacoffee.org.au
Explore our store
Zala Coffee is available in all the usual industry standard sizes and grind options. If you live locally you can take advantage of our BYO container option to purchase our beans in 100g increments at a discounted price, our way of saying thanks for helping the environment. Check out our online store to purchase our coffee, or pay Arnie's Espresso Bar a visit if you're in the area.
