CATCHING UP WITH HANNAH HOFMANN OF COFFEE SUPREME
Coffee Supreme are gearing up for a big return to MICE in 2019! The team at MICE were lucky enough to recently interview their green bean buyer, Hannah Hofmann.
Q: How did Coffee Supreme first start out?
A: Coffee Supreme started out in ‘93 in Wellington, New Zealand. We were roasting coffee for ourselves, pretty much because we were some of the few people around to drink it. Then in 2001, like a budding teenager out of college, we decided we were ready to stretch out, spread our wings. So, we set our sights on Melbourne. Our first customer was Mark Dundon’s café, Ray. The rest is history.
Q: If you could drink a cup of single origin from one place in the world, where would you choose?
A: As a green-buyer for Coffee Supreme, this is an incredibly hard question to answer – in my eyes, this isn’t dissimilar to asking a parent ‘who is your favourite child?’. However, my most memorable cup is a Guatemalan from Huehuetenango, roasted by Monmouth Coffee in 2005. This was the first cup I ever drank that tasted more than just ‘coffee’. It was sweet and clean and tasted like dark chocolate and plums. And still, to this day, every cup of Guatemalan transports me to the landscape, the people, the smells and the sounds of one of my favourite countries in the world.
Q: Favourite coffee-based drink?
A: A no frills, black filter coffee any day.
Q: Favourite holiday destination when not busy with sourcing beans?
A: I have spent a lot of time in Latin America – both on the tools and not-on-the-tools. ‘Explore Japan (and visit the Coffee Supreme store in Shibuya)’ and ‘a White Christmas in New York’ are at the top of my travel bucket list. In the meantime I am happy exploring regional Victoria – beautiful landscapes and delicious wines.
Q: Which city makes the best coffee in the world?
A: Melbourne – and I’m not just saying that! The Coffee Supreme team are so proud to work alongside an amazing group of café owners. It is this group of people who represent the coffee and producers we work with, every single day. It’s pretty incredible to drink a delicious cup of coffee and think about all the people who have played a part in ensuring this cup has made someone’s day. Call me lame, but it floats my boat.
You can catch the Coffee Supreme team at stand 116a at MICE next year – they’ll be bringing along their coffee and some awesome merch to boot! Click here to get your tickets.
