If one company in Australia can truly say that it has helped father the dream of creating a fairer, more sustainable industry and promote specialty coffee it is Proud Mary Coffee.
From respecting and acknowledging the efforts of individual coffee pickers and farmers through to offering customers the delights of amazing coffee this task can be attributed to the dreams and vision of one man, a humble yet fiercely passionate individual, Proud Mary’s founder Nolan Hirte.
His foresight has changed forever the direction of specialty coffee and roasting in Australia.
Nolan has done it all by the awards he has accumulated, the accolades his roastery has achieved and the reputation for excellence in bringing specialty coffee to the market, but it is the beautiful soul this man possesses in wanting to sincerely make a difference to the lives of coffee growers and their workers that sets him apart.
Back in the day Nolan spent time hand picking coffee beans on the slopes of plantations and was amazed at how little income pickers received compared to the price coffee would demand at the café end of proceeding. Following that revelation Nolan set out to make a difference, a journey that now thankfully has resulted in many other coffee roasters following similar paths.
With the dedicated support of his wife Shari who somehow has managed to have two children they together with approximately 130 amazing and loyal staff globally have made significant inroads in showcasing the delights and joys of specialized coffee.
The story of Nolan and Proud Mary can not be confined to one article so I will follow up with more soon.
Proud Mary’s can be found at 172 Oxford St, Collingwood Victoria 3066