Coffee culture in New Zealand has seen some 'phenomenal changes” according to a Tauranga coffee batch roaster.
Excelso Coffee owner Jeff Evans has been an experienced coffee roaster in New Zealand for 17 years, since moving from Canada in 1994. He says in this time, coffee culture has continued to grow.

Excelso Coffee owner Jeff Evans says coffee culture has come a long way, but nothing can change the perfect coffee. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

'When we came over here, we began with 10 or 12 small batch roasters, now there are over 200. It's a funny thing. It has really grown and taken off in the last 20 years all over the world.”
With increasing prices, Jeff says coffee drinking has taken a plunge, but drinkers are still reluctant to forfeit their morning pick-me-up.
'You talk to any cafe owner – they will say they have seen sales go down. Instead of having three or four cups of coffee at every break, they might opt for one or two. Of course, there are still an enormous amount of instant drinkers who wouldn't be able to tell the difference.”
Jeff says people fail to realise everything is relative and a lot of work goes into making the perfect coffee.
'Back in the day, a flat white or cappuccino was $2.50 and it has gradually increased, but it is difficult to say $4.50 is expensive when so much goes into it such as time, wages, paying the landlord, servicing the equipment. But if you pay $4.50 for a coffee you are not happy with, it is up to the proprietor to tell the coffee maker it is not up to scratch.”