BY CAFE OWNERS, FOR COFFEE PARTNERS
A roastery built by a cafe owner.
Carlos trained as a chef, ran cafes for two decades, then built a roastery to supply the kind of coffee he always wished he could buy. King Carlos Coffee is the result. 15+ medals. 80+ venues supplied. Still in Hurstville.
15+
national medals won
80+
venue partners
2002
Carlos opened his first espresso bar
4.8★
from 250+ Google reviews
MEET CARLOS
Chef turned cafe owner. Cafe owner turned roaster.
Carlos Z trained as a chef at Star City, on the line under Paul Henessey and Ramael Scully. After years cooking, he made the jump to running his own room. His first espresso bar opened in 2002 on Forest Road, Hurstville.
Over the next decade he ran cafes inside Club Central Hurstville and beside Service NSW, and supplied St George Rowers, the Illawarra Catholic Club and the local bowling clubs along the way. He knew what an 8am machine breakdown felt like. He knew what it meant to have a wholesale rep who would not pick up the phone.
That is why King Carlos Coffee works the way it does. We are not a roaster who decided to sell to cafes. We are cafe owners who decided to roast. We have stood on your side of the bar through the morning rush, the staff turnover and the difficult customers.
Today we roast weekly in Hurstville and supply 80+ venues across NSW, VIC and QLD. We are an executive member of the St George Business Chamber. The first roaster has long since been replaced. The address has not.
THE ARC
Two decades, one address.
The path from a chef-school graduate to a roaster supplying 80+ venues. Same suburb the whole way.
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2002
First espresso bar opens
Carlos opens his first espresso bar on Forest Road, Hurstville. Coffee from a wholesaler, made his way.
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2010
Club Central Hurstville cafe
Takes over the cafe inside Club Central. First taste of multi-site operations.
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2012
Service NSW location
Opens a second cafe beside the Service NSW office. Now supplying St George Rowers and Illawarra Catholic Club.
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2015
Roastery decision
After years of being let down by wholesalers, Carlos starts roasting his own. Small drum, big learning curve.
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2017-2020
First medals
15+ medals across Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, Golden Bean Australasia and Australian International Coffee Awards. Silver, bronze, single origin and blend.
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2022+
80+ venue partners
King Carlos Coffee now supplies 80+ venues across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and regional NSW, VIC and QLD. Still roasting in Hurstville. Executive member of the St George Business Chamber.
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
15+ medals across Sydney Royal, Golden Bean and AICA.
Specific medals, specific years, specific competitions. The same blends we still roast today.
2020
Australian International Coffee Competition
Silver - Single Origin Espresso (Panama). Bronze - Milk Coffee Cappuccino. Bronze - Single Origin Pour Over (Panama).
2019
Sydney Royal Fine Food Show
Bronze - Re Firma Blend (Piccolo). Bronze - Kenya Single Origin (Plunger).
2019
Golden Bean Australasia
Bronze - Single Origin Coffee Espresso (Guatemala & Cuba). Bronze - Single Origin Coffee Filter (King Carlos Guatemala). Bronze - Milk Based Latte (Re Firma Blend, Colombia).
2018
Sydney Royal Fine Food Show
Silver - Single Origin Espresso (Cuba). Bronze - Plunger Coffee Blend (Re Firma). Bronze - Plunger Single Origin (Cuba). Bronze - Piccolo Coffee Blend (Re Firma).
2017
Sydney Royal Fine Food Show
Bronze - Single Origin Espresso (Cuba). Bronze - Blend Espresso (Re Firma). Bronze - Plunger Coffee Blend (Re Firma). Bronze - Plunger Single Origin (Cuba).
What we believe.
Four things we do not compromise on, even when it would be easier.
Quality you can taste
Specialty-grade beans, roasted in small batches every week. Every blend dialled in to work for milk and black.
Service like a cafe owner
We have run cafes. We know what 8am breakdowns feel like. That is why we make tech support a priority, not an afterthought.
Real training
Hands-on barista training for every wholesale partner. On-site or at the Hurstville roastery. We do not just sell beans, we set you up to win.
Roots in Hurstville
Built in the St George area, supplying nationally. Our coffee experience lounge is open to anyone who wants to visit, smell the roast, and have a cup.
Want to taste it?
The story is in the cup. Shop our beans, or get a $40 wholesale sample pack if you run a venue.
