Frank's Coffee was born in 2015 when the Founder and Director, Frank Hsu, made the bold decision to drop out of an Information Systems honours degree to dive into the world of coffee full-time. Frank's Coffee are a specialty coffee roastery based in Wellington that also operates two café locations. One café is at 116 The Terrace and the other at 5 Riddiford Street, Newtown, with all roasting taking place in-house at their Upper Hutt roastery.
Frank wanted to create a little sanctuary from the Monday-to-Friday daily grind — a place where every detail mattered, from the cup lip width to the Monday morning playlist. What started as a café has grown into a vertically integrated coffee business.
Franks philosophy is simple: Introduce delicious coffee to the world around us. It's all about people, quality and passion. They believe exceptional coffee should be accessible to everyone, and that great coffee brings people and minds together. Their core values are passion, growth, generosity, excellence, and innovation.
They roast on a Rubasse NIR (Near Infrared) Digital Coffee Roasters which uses innovative infrared technology specifically chosen for its ability to highlight vibrancy in the cup. It's the same technology behind the coffee that took Honoka Kawashima to 4th place at the 2024 World Barista Championship in Busan.
In December 2022 Frank was privileged to travel to Colombia through Cofinet, visiting the farms and producers behind our coffees. Meeting the families whose livelihoods depend on quality coffee production completely transformed his perspective. Those relationships are now at the heart of everything Frank and the team does.
In 2024, one of the talented baristas from Frank's team won the New Zealand Barista Championship and went on to represent Aotearoa at the World Barista Championship in Busan, South Korea — finishing 4th in the world. It's New Zealand's best result on the world stage since 2007, and one of only two times NZ has ever reached the top four in the competition's history. The coffee she used was the rare Maragesha varietal, roasted by Frank personally using their infrared roaster — so that world-class pedigree is baked right into every bag they produce.
Adding to that, Frank has also served as a certified judge at the NZ Barista Championship national finals for over five years, including the 2024 and 2025 national finals, so quality and competition standards are something they live and breathe at Frank's. They were also proud to be the Official Coffee Sponsor for the 2025 Aotearoa AeroPress Championship in Wellington.
This month we are enjoying Frank's everyday espresso, Frank's Blend. This is the coffee they serve across both Wellington cafés for all milk-based drinks. It's approachable and balanced, designed with the home brewer in mind while still delivering real complexity. Ideal for espresso, stovetop, and plunger — it is perfect for On The Grind's at-home audience.
Bean origin
- Colombia (Planadas, Tolima — Castillo, Caturra and Typica varietals, Washed process, Fairtrade Certified and Organic, 1400–2150m altitude)
- Brazil (Samba Reserve — Natural process, 1000–1300m altitude), Ethiopia Washed and Natural Heirloom
Tasting notes and profile
- With milk: bergamont earl grey milk tea, roasted walnut, and milk chocolate.
- Black: lemonade, grapefruit zest, cacao, and lingering floral aftertaste.
Franks Favourite Way To Drink It
"Honestly, a flat white first thing in the morning. Pull it as espresso (18.5g in, 42g out, 28–32 seconds at 94°C) and pair it with steamed milk — We do recommend letting the beans rest for at least 14 days after roasting for the best result."
Tell us about your experience with Frank's Blend on Facebook or Instagram, and of course head to Frank's Coffee to learn more about them or take advantage of their generous offer.