Mecca Coffee - One of the country’s early pioneers in specialty coffee

We spoke with Mecca Founder Paul Geshos about the challenges they faced when they first opened up shop, what it was like to be an early pioneer in specialty coffee and all the exciting things they’re planning for this year!

The Roaster

Back in 2005, we wanted to bring the coffee culture from other parts of the world, like Scandinavia and the US, to Australia. While abroad we were blown away by the complexities of the coffee we were drinking. Beans from Ethiopia and Kenya were cleverly roasted to bring out their unique fruity and floral notes as a result of these roasters focusing on single lots, having a lighter roasting approach and working more directly with producers. You didn't see this as much in Australia at the time. 

These experiences served as our inspiration when opening Mecca. However, the first year was tough. We were giving coffee away at times just to get customers to try filter coffee since it was a very new concept in Australia. Some days we wondered if we would have to close up shop. What got us by was the close knit community we built - a mix of industry and non-industry coffee enthusiasts who really 'got it' and were just as passionate about coffee as we were. 

In. 2006, after making it through the first 12 months, we saw a shift in the business. We had some fantastic media coverage and became recognised in the industry which led to more steady trade. It was an exciting and rewarding time and we are lucky enough to still be working in that momentum today!

What sets Mecca apart from other roasters?

We are a small piece of the puzzle, so we do our best to honour the efforts of the full community of people working together to bring you delicious coffee every day. Our relationship with like-minded coffee exporters and distributors has given us a direct link to the farmers. We’ve worked with some of these producers for over a decade!

Mecca is an early pioneer of specialty coffee and is proud to stand by the likes of Market Lane, Reuben Hills, Seven Seeds, Campos and Allpress just to name a few. We have built a solid community not only within the coffee industry but hospitality as a whole. 

We are also more than just coffee! 2023 was a big year of collaborations with brands such as Alberto's Lounge + Swill Hospitality, IWC Schaffhausen, Audio-Technica, Mountain Culture and. Hunter Candles. Our relationships throughout the chain, from farm to cup, are a force in building our Meccaverse.

Tell us about what's in store for Mecca this year? Any exciting or upcoming projects to notes?

We had a super busy 2023 - new product launches, new menus, new partnerships. The most memorable partnerships and activities involved a beer collaboration with our friends at Mountain Culture to create the beer Tireme Su and our release of a nitro cold brew RTD with our mates at Audio-Technica called Sonic Brew. We also released a coffee-infused candle with Hunter Candles for the holidays. 

2024 will be a big year trying to build upon our efforts in 2023. The focus will be on reaching new markets, sharing the love outside NSW, collaborating with exciting brands and offering fun retail experiences at our locations in Alexandria and King Street in building our ever-growing community. 

Our course, the primary function and why we are here is ultimately the coffee. Engaging in more coffee driven initiatives and events working with brands such as La Marzocco, The Barista League and participating at SCA - all to be revealed at a later date! 

Mecca In The Wild!