“New Beginnings”
It all started with a coffee bean… Passionate about farming, the South Coast and, in particular, COFFEE… Mpenjati Coffee started with a timber farmer looking out over the Mpenjati River with a handful of coffee tree seeds and a dream.
The seeds were planted, the trees thrived and the result surpassed even our own expectations and the Mpenjati Coffee Brand was born!
Next thing we knew, we had friends and Coffee Enthusiasts dropping by on the regular to taste our coffee paired with one of Leigh’s chocolate chip biscotti. Our beans were selling out faster than we could harvest them and people started asking questions, a buzz was created… and this got us thinking. Would a Coffee Shop, open to the public, work on our little slice of paradise???
So we took the plunge, so to speak, and expanded our little roasting room to create a new “Coffee Experience” for all to enjoy. Equipped with a Café, a guided coffee processing tour, a space for kids to play while their folks enjoy a cup of Joe and a Deli where other local producers can sell their goodies, you can now enjoy your Mpenjati Coffee from Bean to Cup!
We ambitiously opened in peak season on the 18th of December 2021 with a light menu and, most importantly, Leigh’s insanely good home-baked cakes. Tenuously, we opened our doors, keeping advertising to a minimum so as not to overwhelm our brand-new venture. We had no restaurant experience and Leigh was hobbling around on crutches on opening day!
Well, thanks to word of mouth and our trusty locals, we were bombarded every day! The cakes couldn’t be baked fast enough, bagels were flying around the kitchen and the coffee machine didn’t stop running and MAN! ARE WE GRATEFUL!
In January, we decided that this little experiment was ready to go to the next level so we brought in a new Manager. Jo joined our little family, bringing with him 16 years of experience as a classically trained chef. He introduced a whole new gourmet side to our menu using local ingredients and plenty of passion. A passion that can be tasted, no, felt in every bite.
We have nothing but optimism for the future of our new Coffee Shop and can’t wait for your visit!