Kapiti Gateway Motel

Excited to be part of the region's growing group of gourmet food producers

Warwick Halcrow knows how to run a coffee business and to prove a point, his latest business, the Kapiti Coffee Company, started only in December 2010, is to start exporting its coffee products, according to local reports.

Previously, Warwick ran the Barista Boys coffee cart for half a decade on the highway in Waikanae and he recently decided to expand with a new company after he and his son spotted a business opportunity in the area. They believed that the Kapiti-Horowhenua area was missing a ‘substantial’ local coffee roasting company, especially as the area was also one which produces high quality gourmet products.

What is the Kapiti Coffee Company up to? They supply a cool 400kg of Arabica roasted coffee each month to meet local coffee demands, with outlets such as cafes, shops and coffee carts, amongst other venues. According to Warwick, those who visit New Zealand are blown away by the quality of coffee produced in the national coffee industry, which he likens to the explosion of the wine industry.

The division of labour between father and son in this family business is clearly defined. Warwick spends his energy on business strategy to develop and market, whereas his son attends to roasting the coffee beans. They made a policy decision to focus on local branding and have gone on record as confirming that they are proud to come from Kapiti. They have also gone out of their way to reduce overheads so that they are in a position to say ‘we are not really aware of the recession.’