In pursuit of better coffee Coffee Supreme opens Britomart coffee brew bar

The Seafarers Building in Britomart is home to a new Coffee Supreme Coffee Brew Bar. Supreme Seafarers opens today, dedicated to providing a unique experience for Auckland coffee drinkers.

The new venture will house a coffee brew bar and retail concept store, featuring hand selected brands, alongside the full range of Coffee Supreme coffees and accessories for at-home brewing. 

In the pursuit of better coffee, Supreme Seafarers will offer batch brewed made using a Fetco batch brewer, a purpose build stainless steel machine imported from the United States.

“The Fetco is essentially a machine to make filter coffee. But throw away any preconceptions you may have about filter coffee, the taste experience of a batch brewed Fetco coffee is unlike anything else. The Fetco is infinitely controllable, which means we can customise each brew, including the bloom time – the time the coffee spends soaking – to suit the coffee we’re working with,” says Coffee Supreme Managing Director Al Keating.

Coffee Supreme has been at the forefront of single origin brews – using chemex, pour over and even plunger, but is perhaps most well-known for its espresso roasts, served in the best cafes across the country.

“We want to provide people with choice. There are many ways to enjoy a good coffee, but as the quality of coffee available here in New Zealand has improved we have evolved our brewing methods, to ensure we’re making the most of the beans we purchase from around the world. The beans we plan to batch brew are roasted in a very particular way, tailored to the origin of coffee, this filter roast ensures the individual flavour characteristics translate into the cup,” says Al Keating.

Keating compares the flavours provided by batch brewing to wine, likening espresso to the choice between red and white, while batch brewing allows the unique varietal flavours of single origin coffee beans to be enjoyed.

The Fetco batch brewer can brew 1.9L, which pours between eight to ten coffees, in six minutes, meaning the coffee – most importantly – will always be served fresh.

To complement the range of coffee on offer Supreme Seafarers will serve café style food made by the Ostro kitchen, under the creative direction of Michelin-awarded Josh Emmett. 

Supreme Seafarers will occupy the lobby of the new Seafarers building. In addition to manning the coffee bar and retail concept store, its personable staff will act as concierges for the development.

“The reception area is the first point of contact with guests to Seafarers, and we wanted to ensure they are immediately welcomed. This concept is unique outside of a hotel, but we think it will provide a cultural epicentre for not only the building, but the greater Britomart precinct, allowing our guests to shop, relax and discover the building, while drinking great coffee,” says Lucien Law from Seafarers.

Supreme have worked with Fearon Hay on the design of the site, which has been carefully considered to ensure a comfortable environment allowing staff to work quickly and efficiently, and space for customers to shop, wait for takeaways or browse the retail concept store. This concept is the first foray into non-coffee retail for Coffee Supreme, and will complement the full range of coffee and accessories produced by the company. The retail offer will include guest brands, with an evolving product range changing with each season.

“The concept for the location is a contemporary supply store for the urban-based world traveller. We want the space to have an international feel, while celebrating some of the best brands in New Zealand. The space is also the first location in the Auckland CBD where people can buy a wide selection of our coffee for at-home or in-office brewing,” says Keating.

Supreme Seafarers is open seven days from 7:00am.