Carnarvon coffee wholesaler Ningaloo Roast wins prestigious award in largest tasting competition in the world

The Mid West-Gascoyne’s only coffee roaster has been named a winner of the world’s largest coffee roaster competition, Golden Bean for for the second consecutive year. Carnarvon-based coffee supplier Ningaloo Roast was established four years ago, and has been recognised for delicious coffee after winning Golden Bean champion medals. Owner Donna Cuthbert said she submitted two types of coffee for feedback and both returned as winners. She was the only coffee roaster between Perth and Broome. “I wanted to know where I stood on a national level, so I thought why not send it into the competition,” she said. “They provide you with a lot of feedback and detail. It’s about 15 district professionals that taste your coffee and they give you a whole raft of feedback, and I thought that was really beneficial for me as a roaster.” The fully fledged business isn’t only successful because it’s unique to the district, but for the skill and taste of the roast. Now able to label the coffee as award-winning, Ms Cuthbert said her coffee-roasting journey was inspired by a trip to Colombia, and now supplies beans to cafe’s in Northampton, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Horrocks and local IGA supermarkets. “I started roasting for myself, and then I started roasting for friends and family, and then it got a little bit bigger and my market stalls would always be sold out by about 9.30am, so I thought ‘this is in demand’,” she said. Ms Cuthbert said she was overwhelmed to receive recognition for her coffee roasting, and it went to show despite a lack in competition, she’s doing something right. “Even though I feel like I’m on my own, when I do something like this I realise I’m out here in the middle of Carnarvon, but I’m actually roasting coffee that is something to be proud of,” she said.