Slowly brewing from the post-war immigration boom during the 1950s and 1960s, today’s Australian coffee market is among the strongest in the world, with 75 percent of all Australians – that’s 19 million – consuming at least one cup of coffee daily (McCrindle Research).
Since opening Grinders at Lygon Street Melbourne in 1962, Giancarlo Giusti has been at the forefront of Australia’s ongoing coffee culture evolution. This year, Grinders marks its 60th anniversary in Australia.
Over six decades, Giancarlo has watched more and more Australians say hooroo to tea and g’day to coffee. The Italian-born founder of Grinders says Aussies are now among the world’s most sophisticated coffee drinkers.
“The common misconception is that Italians are the world’s most cluey coffee consumers, but actually – and especially during the past decade or so – Australians might be putting the Italians to shame. I think Australians now know more about coffee than Italians do,” says Giancarlo.
According to Statista, the coffee segment in Australia generated a whopping $7.7 billion in 2021, and Australians collectively consume more than 37 million kilograms of coffee annually.
Grinders rank the latte as Australians’ most popular coffee, closely followed by the flat white. More women buy coffee at Grinders than men, and 25–34-year-olds are the most dedicated coffee drinkers in the nation.
Grinders have also noticed an increase in Australians’ appetite for non-dairy alternatives. Statista indicates that even though Aussies consume 97 liters of milk per person yearly, there’s an increasing shift towards plant-based options. Among these, soy milk is still the most popular (47.6 percent), closely followed by almond milk (44.2 percent)
Undoubtedly attuned to the nation’s changing coffee trends as Australia’s fifth-largest coffee roaster, Grinders has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Three generations on, it has become a titan in the coffee industry, dedicated to sourcing, roasting, and delivering the best single-origin and blended coffee in Australia.
Sixty years on, Grinders is still leading the way in coffee and is today one of Australia’s most trusted coffee brands – but it remains true to its heritage established by Giancarlo. With the help of their master roasters and bean hunters, Grinders’ beans are carefully and sustainably sourced and roasted to perfection to create that delicious confluence of flavor and aroma that makes Grinders a staple for coffee lovers. It’s a process they have mastered over generations and continue to tweak and perfect to taste. Every. Single. Day.
Grinders Marketing Manager Burcu De La Cruz says, in the same way, Giancarlo always considered his customers his “friends”; one of the key pillars of Grinders today is its community.
“As a company, we respect where we came from, and at every stage of our journey, we are listening to people, to our customers, and always adapting to satisfy Australian taste buds,” Ms. De Le Cruz says.
“We are investing in technology and in sustainability – we like to think we are leading the way in Australia for sustainable coffee with our partnership with Rainforest Alliance, our supply chain operations, with a mission for all our packaging to be 100 percent recyclable by 2025 and as one of the first business in Australia to introduce compostable coffee capsules last year as a commercial roaster.
“Currently, three million capsules are sent to landfills each day. Our new range of industrially compostable capsules offers our customers a better alternative to what is currently available.
“Finally, we are working closely with leading roasting experts to ensure our roasting processes are optimized for quality and consistency, including our renewable and low carbon energy sourced at Grinders in 2020 was over 95 percent,” adds Ms. De Le Cruz.
MasterChef Australia Season 13 contestant, Dan Dumbrell, is a self-proclaimed fan of Grinder’s and has created a special coffee chocolate fondue recipe celebrating Grinders’ 60th anniversary.
Dan Dumbrell says: “Grinders Coffee Roasters always deliver on that morning pick-me-up, but have you ever tried using their coffee in your cooking? What sets Grinders Coffee apart is the distinct differences between their coffee beans – their new single origin Nicaragua Blueberry Candy has flavor profiles of juicy blueberries and creamy caramel which works perfectly in this fun retro coffee chocolate fondue number. Pair this with fruit and savory pastries, and you’ve got a winning brunch spread!”
Coffee and Chocolate for breakfast? Don’t mind if I fond-do!
The retro chocolate fondue gets a makeover! This coffee chocolate fondue recipe is infused with Grinders Nicaragua Blueberry Candy coffee – giving an epic creamy caramel and nutty flavor. Finished with a pinch of salt,you’ve got a winning dessert-for-brunch centerpiece!
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp Grinders Nicaragua Blueberry Candy coffee beans (coarsely ground)
- 250ml thickened cream
- 150g good quality 70% dark chocolate
- Large pinch of salt
- To serve: dippers of your choice (e.g., fresh fruit, dried fruit, pastries, pretzels – go nuts!)
Method:
- In a saucepan, heat the cream until simmering, then turn off the heat. Immediately add ground Grinders coffee beans, stir, and stand for at least 30 minutes for the coffee to infuse. Use this time to prep your diapers!
- Break up the Chocolate into a heatproof bowl or fondue pot, add a large pinch of salt, and place a sieve on top. After 30 minutes, bring the cream to simmer and immediately pour through the sieve and over the Chocolate. Let it stand for 30 seconds, then mix until smooth.
- Serve the fondue warm. Voila!