To connect coffee lovers and professionals from all around the world, to inspire others, to make new friends.
Today we feature the story of :
HILLS COFFEE CO
Please tell us about yourself.
We are Ross & Kiandra, the husband and wife team behind the micro roastery Hills Coffee Co. We're based in the Dandenong Ranges, an hour east of Melbourne in Australia.
I’m not sure of our role in the greater coffee industry, but we are currently focused on our role within the local community. We want to offer coffees that are approachable and interesting to both seasoned pro’s and those new to specialty coffee. We also hope to be a resource for anyone who wants to learn more, and provide information on why your choice of coffee matters and the impact that it can have locally and at origin.
What is your vision and goal?
With the business side of things, we really wanted to create a brand that was sustainable and environmentally friendly end to end. We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. It's no good sourcing coffee in a sustainable manner and then packaging the beans in plastic. We don't believe you can uplift one aspect at the expense of another which is why we wanted to create a better base standard. Every area of the business has been developed with the environment in mind. We are certainly not perfect, and this will always be in continual development for us, but we hope this consideration for the environment and the 'base standard' that we are creating will be the new norm.
And with the coffee side of things, we want to provide our community with coffee that’s interesting and approachable. We want to show the range of flavours that can be found in coffee and help people to see that there is a coffee for everyone. The idea of introducing someone to a flavour or style of coffee they haven’t tried before, but love, is very exciting!
How did you get started in coffee, what made you fallen in love with it?
Kiandra - My family have always loved coffee, it was a daily ritual in our house since I can remember, whether it was made with a small home espresso machine or a french press. My first job as a part timer after school was as a barista at Gloria Jeans. That job carried me into my 20's and from there I never looked back. There was always something more to know about coffee, the learning hasn't stopped even now, it's both humbling and exciting.
Ross – A coffee or two was a requirement of mine starting the day out on site as a young electrician. With Kiandra working in the industry and having a dream of opening a roastery I was always looking for ways we could make it happen. After a quiet summer holiday and too many YouTube roasting videos we decided to enrol in a coffee roasting course. This fuelled my interest in the industry as a whole, but more specifically in the areas of roasting technique’s, machinery and the software used. I love that I’m able to utilize the skills learnt in my electrical background to better understand and operate the equipment required for roasting.
If you weren't a coffee lover or professional what would you have done instead?
Kiandra – I think I would have been an artist or illustrator.
Ross – I’d like to help people with their financial independence so maybe a financial advisor.
What is your favourite coffee beverage ?
We love coffee in all forms but are both partial to a strong latte and a V60.
What do you see as the major challenges facing the coffee industry?
The average customers perception of value is a major challenge facing the industry. We need to work towards changing what customers believe is a fair price to pay for coffee. If they were to walk into a cafe and saw a small latte was $6 they would immediately think it's expensive, though to those in the industry the assumption would be that perhaps a higher grade of coffee was used or it's a single origin, and that the farmers have been paid fairly as well as the barista making the coffee, etc. No one thinks twice about the price of a $14 craft beer or glass of wine, and that's the impression we need to create for coffee. We need to close the gap in knowledge between industry professionals and consumers.
One tip to improve the coffee industry ?
Consume consciously. How you purchase coffee and how you engage with the coffee industry can have a positive or negative impact. It is within our power to choose what impact we will have.
What is your favourite quote ?
“If it is to be, it is up to me.” William H. Johnson.
“No story lives unless someone wants to listen ”