In KwaZulu-Natal, we love our coffee and, apart from being one of just two provinces where we actually grow our own beans, we have developed a robust coffee culture. A group of local coffee mavens – otherwise known as the Coffee Colab – backed by sugar brand Selati – today announced the launch of The Battle of the Beans, a coffee competition aimed at not only identifying the province’s best cappuccinos and single shot espressos, but ultimately creating a guide to the very best spots for coffee lovers to enjoy their ultimate caffeine fix.
At the beginning of this year, coffee guru and well-known food critic, Ingrid Shevlin (known to some as The Quean Bean) and founder of Shrewd Food on Facebook, inspired a group of coffee enthusiasts to set up a non-profit organisation that would pool its skills to promote its favourite brew – coffee.
The Coffee Colab was born with the aim of embracing all opportunities to promote coffee in KZN, starting with an old favourite – an annual coffee competition aimed at identifying KZN’s coffee shop royalty.
Shevlin recalls how, 20 years ago, whilst working for a major Sunday newspaper, she began chatting to Ralph Bronzin, then proprietor of the KZNSA’s Arts Café, about the art of making coffee and the perfect cappuccino. A coffee competition was born from this conversation that not only raised awareness of coffee making as a skill and career, but also boosted the standards of excellence while also acknowledging the role and skills of the barista.
This much anticipated contest boasted a healthy spirit of competition and commendations and awards were so valued that many grace the walls of coffee shops to this day. Unfortunately, this competition was discontinued. After her retirement and, especially, post the Covid pandemic, Shevlin says she could not ignore the importance of the coffee culture in her home province.
“In KZN, coffee shops are the cornerstone of the hospitality industry, offering spaces where you can linger over a freshly brewed espresso or a creamy cappuccino while chatting with friends. When thinking about our coffee shops, we realised the importance of affordable community spaces. While many restaurants did not survive Covid, most coffee shops did! They kept the industry and the spirit of cafe society alive and provided places for people to meet, work and to enjoy a bean brew.
“So, what better time to acknowledge the role coffee shops played, and still play, in both personal and community lives, than now? As the Coffee Colab, we believe the best way to do this is to host a competition to judge the ethos of the coffee shop and the excellence of the coffee served. This is also about promoting the industry and acknowledging those who stayed the course,” she explains.
A business and tourism jewel
Fellow Coffee Colab founder – and one of the stalwarts of the former KZN competition – Dennis Ngxongo, believes it goes beyond enjoying that ultimate brew.
Both local and international tourism is fuelling the growth of independent shops and artisanal coffee roasters and providing opportunities for small businesses to thrive in the hospitality sector which was badly shaken by both the pandemic and by loadshedding.
“The city of Durban is contemplating a much-needed revival and a return to its former glory. This is our way of contributing to the efforts of those involved. By highlighting and showcasing the tourism, hospitality and lifestyle offering that small coffee shops offer, we can shine a light on our entrepreneurs,” he says.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. In 2020/2021, around 166.63 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee were consumed worldwide. According to global data and business intelligence platform, Statista, the South African coffee market is expected to grow by 10.52% between 2024 and 2028 and should be worth around R12 billion!
“We may not have the numbers for KZN but we do know that this competition will provide an opportunity for local coffee businesses to gain exposure and recognition for their coffee-making craft. Often, small businesses do not have the resources or expertise to promote themselves. We look forward to assisting through the creation of an on-line guide to drinking coffee in KZN and more,” Shirley le Guern, another Coffee Colab originator, points out.
How the Battle begins
The Battle of the Beans is expected to grow every year. This year’s competition will focus mainly on the independent coffee shop – a venue where patrons are free to only drink coffee and not necessarily eat – as well as the many emerging coffee carts and vans popping up around town. Each coffee venue must have an espresso machine and an active barista.
This year, franchises and mainstream restaurants will not come under the scrutiny of the hand-picked panel of judges who will be visiting various establishments incognito. These judges will be scoring KZN’s coffee shops which have been divided into specific regions – the Berea, Central Durban (including the Beachfront and the Bluff), Durban North, Glenashley and La Lucia, Umhlanga and KwaMashu, the rest of the North Coast, Amanzimtoti and Upper South Coast and Pietermaritzburg and the KZN Midlands.
Top regional performers will be honoured together with the top three coffee shops across the province at an awards ceremony at the end of the year. As The Battle of the Beans unfolds, KZN’s coffee community will be encouraged to share their coffee experiences on our social media platforms to ensure that we include their favourite caffeine hang outs on our judges lists and even vote online for their most beloved coffee venues.
