It’s been a milestone year for specialty coffee roaster Toby’s Estate. The Sydney-based chain has opened a new flagship store in Melbourne, launched the fifth edition of its nationwide OcToby’s Fest campaign and seen its Chippendale café and roastery crowned the World’s Best Coffee Shop at the inaugural World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops Gala.
More than two decades after founder Toby Smith helped set the pace for specialty coffee in Australia, the brand is still finding ways to evolve in a crowded market.
Ahead of the pack
Nicholas (Nich) Rae, Head of Coffee at Toby’s Estate, who sits at the helm of the award-winning Chippendale café, recalls how Smith was always a step ahead of the pack, venturing to origin and taking the time to truly understand the product.
“Part of the trip was about understanding where coffee comes from, and the other part was about hand-selecting the coffees we were purchasing. The quality difference was clear – and it set the foundation for Toby’s Estate to lead the charge into specialty coffee in Australia,” Rae tells Crumb Wire.
Consistency, quality and culture
International franchises have tried their hand and faded, and plenty of local roasters have struggled to keep up with Australia’s fiercely independent coffee culture. The pandemic forced another reset, pushing many cafés and roasters out of the picture. Through it all, Toby’s Estate has remained a constant; a mainstay, even.
Rae says this is owed to the consistency, quality and culture the brand centres its operations around.
“Over the last few years, we’ve worked tirelessly to improve both our quality and consistency – and it’s paid off, with barely a swing between the ups and downs of our coffee. Pair that with a strong culture and you’ve got a recipe for success. When you love what you do, and who you’re doing it with, the days fly by and there are plenty of laughs along the way,” says Rae.
Shaping Australia’s coffee culture
Australia’s coffee scene is world-renowned for its quality, creativity and fiercely independent spirit. Even as a chain, Toby’s Estate has managed to earn its spot in that landscape.
Rae says: “I think we can proudly say we’ve contributed in some way or form. The people within the industry shape its identity, and Toby’s has had its fair share of incredible staff who’ve gone on to achieve great things.”
With over two decades in market, the brand has seen it all – from changing trends (read: dalgona coffee) to competing products and changing customer expectations. Rae acknowledges that customer expectations are at an all-time high, which he puts down to customers being spoilt for choice.
“There are amazing cafés on every block, each one trying to carve out its own little slice of the pie with a unique offering. It’s tough. Add in the rising cost of a daily coffee, and it’s easy to see why customers are selective,” says Rae.
The impact of social media and virality on food and drink innovation is also key to this shift, according to Rae.
“Coffee trends have never been so impactful – or had the power to change a café’s trajectory so quickly,” he says.
“I’ve seen cafés get a few good reviews on a single menu item, it goes a little viral, and suddenly that weekend there are lines out the door – and they don’t stop. These days, you need to stay across what’s happening and what’s popular.”
OcToby’s Fest and community focus
The brand’s focus for the next few months is its wholesale network. Through OcToby’s Fest, an annual nationwide campaign now in its fifth year, Toby’s Estate is shining a spotlight on more than 800 partner cafés across Australia. The initiative invites cafés to share their most memorable hospitality stories, with finalists professionally filmed and featured nationally before the public votes on the top three.
This year’s theme, ‘This One Time’, celebrates the unforgettable moments that happen in cafés every day, such as the customer requests that become running jokes, the regulars who feel like family and tales from behind the counter.
Over the next few months, coffee lovers can expect to see their stories rolled out nationally, the public voting for their favourites, and ultimately the top three cafés crowned for 2025.
“It’s our way of showcasing the community that makes Toby’s what it is,” says Rae.
Beyond that, the team intends to keep pushing on the things that excite them most, sourcing and roasting coffees that challenge what’s possible, experimenting with new processing and brewing formats and staying true to the idea that coffee is about connection as much as it is about flavour.
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