As Noosa’s own First Batch Coffee Roasters celebrates 10 years of serving up quality brews, its founder is warning that soaring costs could soon see locals paying up to $10 for their daily coffee.
Founded in 2015 by local coffee connoisseur Brent Deller, First Batch has grown from a small roastery to an award-winning brand supplying cafes and home-brewers nationwide.
Brent, who’s worked in the industry for 20 years, said the past six months have seen more café and restaurant closures than ever before.
“Unfortunately we are seeing cafes closing down. On the flip-side, we’re seeing a lot of local support which is amazing,” he said.
Brent said in 2015 the cost of a cup of coffee was $4 whereas now it’s about $6.
“Proportionately that’s just not the same margin wise when you look at the growth of inflation, staff costs, and costs of goods. And that’s the challenge that small businesses are facing today,” he said.
Friday’s celebration at their Noosaville café and roastery included giveaways, complimentary specialty brews, handcrafted First Batch-inspired cupcakes from local bakers and the aroma of freshly roasted beans welcoming locals to toast a decade of excellence.
But the milestone comes amid record cost increases that threaten the future of independent coffee businesses on the Coast and throughout the country.
“We’re in a tough spot as an industry. Everything from green coffee beans to rent and wages is rising rapidly,” Brent said.
“Independent coffee roasters and cafés are doing everything they can to keep prices fair, but the rising costs are becoming unsustainable. The idea that coffee could become a $10 luxury isn’t something any of us want, but without a change in escalating costs, it could become a reality.”
First Batch uses a rare fluid bed air roasting system to ensure consistency and flavour purity, sourcing only ethically produced specialty coffees. The team has won multiple national awards, including Gold Medals for its Summer Blend Filter and Ethiopia Single Origin.
“We’ve slowly, just organically grown. We never knocked on doors for new business,” Brent said.
“It’s all about the training support and the high quality coffee that we roast.
“It was really hard through that 2020-21 time, like everyone going through Covid. To maintain 10 years is pretty special. I want to thank everyone who has helped us get there.”
Despite ongoing inflationary pressures, Brent remains committed to keeping specialty coffee accessible.
“From day one, we set out to raise the bar for coffee in Noosa, and thanks to our community we’ve grown into a national brand that still feels local,” he said.
“Now we need to rally together to keep Australia’s coffee culture alive.”
