Porchetta's top blend

Take a sip of coffee from local gourmet micro roastery, Antilles Coffee, and you’ll certainly taste a difference.

It’s fresh, full flavoured and more reminiscent of a strong European blend than most other Australian brands according to owner Robert Manvell.

The Tamworth coffee guru and one of his GoGo Expresso vans will join local coffee vendors
Greg and Sonya Jones and their Bean’ About coffee van, at Gunnedah’s Annual Porchetta Day on Saturday, September 26.

The Italian-inspired day, which will be held on the northwest edge of the Gunnedah Showgrounds as part of Festival Italiano, is a free event focusing on local producers and the region’s great range of products.

The day will also include coffee art demonstrations, with Mr Manvell saying “each cup of coffee is a work of art”.

Mr Jones, who runs his coffee van at local events in addition to The Verdict Coffee shop in Conadilly Street, says Antilles locally roasted coffee blend has been very popular with Gunnedah’s coffee drinkers.

“It has a totally unique flavour because it is so fresh,” he said.

The Jones family has been using Antilles Coffee blends since they began their dual businesses in 2007 and says Gunnedah’s coffee culture has grown in recent years.

“The coffee van in particular has become increasingly busy at weekend sporting events as more people go in search of a good cup of coffee,” Mr Jones said.

The gourmet micro roastery was started after Mr Manvell failed to find suitable coffee for his Tamworth-based cafe. Since then the business has grown to supply 110 outlets from Queensland to Sydney.

“These establishments have worked out that fresh is best and want to give their customers superior gourmet quality products which have been produced in a pollution-free environment,”
Mr Manvell said.

Antilles Coffee is traditionally drum roasted to allow the full flavours and aromas of the coffee beans to develop. There is no automation or mass production in the roasting process; all blending is done by hand with a watchful eye, ensuring the coffee is roasted then blended to an extremely high standard of taste.

Entry is free and the day runs from 10am-6pm.