Robert Harris, The Man

New Zealand was a simple place back in 1952. Ed Hillary was still eyeing up Everest, dinner consisted of meat and three veg, and the national tipple was tea, enjoyed with a lamington at the local tearooms.

So it was a man well ahead of his time who chose to import, blend and grind European coffee beans for a traditional farming community in Hamilton.

Because Robert Harris, or “Bob” to his friends, was never one to follow the herd. A community-minded entrepreneur, he was one of the founding fathers of fresh coffee in New Zealand. In the back room of his small delicatessen, he crafted perfect coffee blends with his daughter Zelda by his side. He was constantly tinkering and experimenting with his blends, carefully recording his customers’ favourites in his ‘book of blends’. Demand for his coffee outgrew his quiet farming community, and soon he was mailing customers around New Zealand his blends in brown paper bags with the words “Robert Harris Coffee” on the front.

Today Robert Harris is one of the most famous names in coffee in New Zealand, recognised for great taste and consistent quality. We’re now one of the largest coffee footprints in the country, whether that’s capsules, fresh and instant in supermarkets, or our dozens of cafes.

We stay true to Bob’s original vision, share his passion for craft, care, and quality products, and are proud of the role we play in New Zealand’s now legendary coffee culture.

This the true legacy of Robert Harris.

Yes, coffee does keep us up at night, but only because it’s important that you get the perfect cup every time you visit a Robert Harris Café.

Great coffee starts with great beans. As New Zealand’s largest coffee roaster, we use our buying power to select the highest grade Arabica beans from premium estates in the great coffee-growing regions of the world.

All our coffee blends are produced from beans roasted right here in New Zealand. That’s important, because the best roast is a fresh roast. By using the skills of our in-house master blenders and roasters we are able to ensure a level of quality that others can only dream about.

Once the beans are delivered to your local café, they have to be handled with the utmost care. All Robert Harris Cafes use Nuova Simonelli or Victoria Arduino precision espresso machines, one of Italy’s top manufacturers with experience and tradition dating back to 1936 . These machines are world-renowned for consistency, strength and quality espresso coffee extraction. 

Last, but certainly not least, comes the human factor. You can have great beans and the best machinery, but still receive a disappointing cup if the barista’s skills aren’t up to scratch. Rest assured, that will never happen in a Robert Harris Café. All our baristas receive extensive training in the art of espresso.

Great coffee can only be produced if the ingredients are excellent and the process is perfect. Making sure that happens every time you visit is what drives everyone who works in a Robert Harris Café.

Expert espresso, delicious food and a very warm welcome.

A great café should offer the perfect combination of coffee, food and hospitality if it’s to become your home away from home. So, we concentrate on ensuring each of our cafes offer all of this and more. We ensure each one is producing coffee that’s second to none and a delicious range of snacks and meals to tantalise your tastebuds — baked fresh in the cafe every day, all served in a comfortable, vibrant environment.

Simply find your local cafe, settle down on a comfortable seat, order your favourite coffee and take it easy. You will feel right at home.