Australians are passionate coffee drinkers, knocking back about two billion cups every year – but less than one per cent of all the coffee we consume is actually grown in Australia. But that could be about to change thanks to a new 5-year, $4 million national research investment. Rebecca Zentveld is the President of the Australian Grown Coffee Association and founder of Zentveld’s Coffee Farm in the hills behind Byron Bay. She joins us now.
Rebecca Zentveld is a pioneer of the Australian coffee industry. She established Zentveld’s Coffee Plantation and Roastery in Newrybar (behind Byron Bay) in 1993 and serves as President of the Australian Grown Coffee Association (AGCA). She was the first person in NSW to grow and roast their own coffee.
Launch of the Australian Coffee Research Program—a $4 million, five-year national research initiative led by AgriFutures Australia (Federal Government’s Agricultural Research Body), Southern Cross University, Plant Health Australia, University of Queensland, and the AGCA. It is the largest coordinated R&D investment in Australian coffee history.
Australia currently has around 40 commercial coffee growers farming ~400 hectares, producing roughly 800 tonnes of green coffee beans annually. This is very small. Australian grown beans make up about 1 per cent, if that, of Australia’s total coffee consumption.
Primary commercial hubs are the tropical Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland, as well as subtropical regions in south-east Queensland and northern NSW (like the Northern Rivers).
Australia is one of the only coffee-growing regions in the world free of major exotic Arabica pests and diseases (meaning growers can produce near-pesticide-free, high-quality coffee).
Core Program Goals:
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- Evaluating higher-yielding, climate-suited coffee varietals.
- Improving farm mechanical harvesting, efficiency, and grower profitability.
- Strengthening biosecurity to defend against global threats like coffee leaf rust.
- Expanding commercial growing into new suitable microclimates across Australia.
This new $4 million research investment brings together universities, biosecurity experts, and growers. From a grower’s perspective, what are the most urgent challenges on the farm that this research will help solve?
You became a coffee roaster in Melbourne before returning to NSW. For those who haven’t tried Australian-grown coffee, how does the flavour profile compare to beans from South America or East Africa? What does our cool subtropical or tropical climate bring out in the bean?
Global coffee supplies are under huge strain from climate change, pests, and disease in traditional growing countries. How important is our clean, pest-free biosecurity status here in Australia, and what risks is this research trying to safeguard us against?
Harvesting coffee overseas often relies on low-cost manual labour, whereas Australian farms rely heavily on smart mechanical harvesting and technology. How can research help smaller Australian farms scale up efficiently to compete on price and availability?
We’ve seen huge consumer shifts toward buying local produce, wine, and craft beer. Are you finding that local cafes and roasters are getting eager to feature 100% Australian-grown coffee on their menus?
The post Sat, 5th, Sept, 2026: Rebecca Zentveld President, Australian Grown Coffee Association appeared first on Saturday Magazine.
