Brewing a New Industry: NZ Coffee Growers Gather at Ngāwhā Park

More than 60 growers, researchers and industry leaders gathered last week for the New Zealand Coffee Producers Association (NZCPA) 2026 Annual Conference.

The first day of the conference was hosted at Ngāwhā Innovation & Enterprise Park near Kaikohe, a venue whose focus on kaitiaki, employment opportunities, circular economies and regional capability development closely aligned with the conference themes.

A highlight of the conference was keynote speaker Kraig Lee of Kona Farm Direct Coffee in Hawaii, who shared insights from more than 30 years in specialty coffee production. His presentation covered value creation, processing techniques and lessons from operating in a high-cost environment.

Attendees also heard from Dr Peter Bircham of Garage Project, who presented research into indigenous yeast strains and their potential application in coffee processing, creating opportunities for uniquely New Zealand flavour profiles.

The conference was followed by a field day at Simons NZ Coffee in Doubtless Bay, where more than 40 attendees toured the family-run operation and gained practical insights into coffee growing, processing and roasting. Sessions from horticulturalist Colin Partridge and coffee expert Sean Ellis of Kaffelogic provided valuable technical knowledge for growers.

The event highlighted the strong momentum building within New Zealand's emerging coffee sector. Industry surveys indicate there are now more than 9,000 coffee plants growing nationwide, with growers increasingly collaborating to share knowledge and support industry growth.

Far North Holdings was proud to host the conference at Ngāwhā Innovation & Enterprise Park, a hub designed to support innovation, enterprise and the development of new industries across Te Tai Tokerau.