We’re in Queenstown again this month to meet Sam, Wes and Pete - the three masterminds behind micro roastery Ryder Specialty Coffee. They source and roast specialty coffee on Aotearoa's very first commercial electric roaster, a Probat P05e and are on a mission to bring delicious coffee to Queenstown and beyond with the least impact on our planet they can! Sustainability is at the heart of their ethos, not just roasting, and they are using home compostable bags and labels for all bags of coffee – as well as currently in the process of rolling out reusable tins to deliver coffee locally to wholesale partners.

Though green coffee has a ways to go to meet sustainability goals due to the distance coffee must travel from origin, selecting ethically sourced specialty grade coffee with knowledge that the farmers are being paid a fair price for their expertise is always top of mind when it comes to green buying.

This month Ryder Specialty Coffee turns one year old! Though the idea of Ryder brewed in the mind of founder Sam for many years, they officially launched in mid-August 2023, roasting on a 1kg Aillio Bullet roaster while waiting for their awesome Probat electric roaster to make its way across the world from Germany. They have exciting plans for the HQ where they currently roast and dispatch coffee to wholesale customers along with web store customers and subscribers. Be sure to give them a follow to stay in the loop with what they're up to!

The coffee you are enjoying this month is Dark Matter, their espresso blend. As the name suggests, it's a darker roasted coffee than the rest of their offering, which was created after requests from loyal locals who wanted something punchy and chocolatey to fuel their adventures. Consisting of beans from Mexico, Brazil and Honduras, it has a delicious flavour profile of dark chocolate, caramel, malt, and stone fruit. It's best suited to espresso, stovetop or plunger brewing, and also goes down a treat brewed on an aeropress (their favourite way to brew when they're not near an espresso machine!). 

If you'd like to try their original blend Hellraiser or one of their filter roast single origin coffees, we have a special offer for On The Grind subscribers of 20% off your first coffee purchase - simply use the code OTG20 at the checkout on our website!

Tell us about your experience with Dark Matter on Facebook or Instagram, and of course head to Ryder Specialty Coffee to learn more about them or take advantage of their generous offer.