The Founder - Steve Barrett

When Steve started Red Rabbit in 2013, the mission was clear to him: ‘Show coffee lovers in Aotearoa how one simple ingredient, the seed of a fruit, can reveal flavours that may seem impossible to get from a single cup of coffee.’

He has achieved this by hand picking the finest single-origin green coffees from around the world, then Steve roasts this green coffee to perfection by using a very gentle and unique roasting method that not only enhances the delicate flavours and notes but also creates a taste sensation with every cup!

On the 12th of August 2021 Steve hit a significant milestone in the history of Red Rabbit. The Cropster roasting software revealed that he was roasting his 10,000th batch of coffee! It is said that it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of a skill. While one roast does not take an hour, having 10,000 roasts under Steve's belt has taught him a lot of lessons; The most important one being that as a roaster there is always more to learn.

Sometimes as a small business we find it hard to slow down and celebrate milestones that we think are truly significant. Reflecting back on all those roasts of coffee as a measurement of time reminds me that Red Rabbit wouldn't exist without the many great staff and the many loyal customers we have who enjoy are products every single day.

Steve Barrett - Founder of Red Rabbit Coffee Co