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Meet your BARISTA…

If you live in Umhlanga and frequent the promenade, chances are you have enjoyed a cup of Rox coffee at some point. If not, then it’s time you did! This month, as part of our ‘meet your barista’ series, we chatted to two of Rox Coffee Company’s most popular and talented resident baristas.

Serving up coffee on the promenade at what is arguably one of the most beautiful beaches in the country might sound like a laid-back vibe … but let us assure you, it’s anything but. In fact, when we arrived to interview Rox Coffee Company baristas Njabulo and Bongani on a random Tuesday morning, both were hard at work whipping up lattes and iced coffees and serving freshly baked croissants and giant pretzels. Amazingly, they were both doing so with a big smile and even a little dash of pizazz … two things that, in our opinion, go a long way towards making a truly great barista.
When things settled down at around 9.30am, we were able to sit down and spend some one-on-one time with the two baristas who make the magic happen at this popular coffee spot.

Rox Coffee was started by Tregue Minaar who grew up in Umhlanga – an area that has lovingly been referred to as ‘Rox’ by locals for many years. He and his wife Bonnie now run the coffee shop with their hard working team. What started out as just a place to grab an excellent coffee and fresh croissant has evolved to include a wide range of beverage options, as well as delicious pastries and muffins and even footlong hotdogs (on the weekends). They also have delicious deli items such as biscotti, fudge and even some new plant based milks! Their fantastic coffee, however, remains the most popular item on their menu.

“Rox Coffee is a family-owned and run business and we strive to maintain excellent service and well made coffees. We pay attention to small details like our jazz playlist and freshly baked pastries each day. We also have a new branch on the R617 on route to the Underberg. It’s slightly bigger with a sit down area, open fire place for chilly days and a slightly more extensive menu. We are also in the process of launching a deli section there, which will be stoked with beautiful pastas, olives and jams.”

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Definitely sounds like somewhere we’ll be stopping in at on our travels!

Meet NJABULA BEKWA

He is friendly, approachable and quite trendy – and 24-year-old Njabula knows how to make a mean cup of coffee. Having joined Rox Coffee Company in December last year, Durban-born Njabula has been making coffee pretty much since he left school. He’s passionate about the work he does and says his favourite part is meeting new people all the time and getting to know all the regulars. Njabula’s favourite coffee to make is a Cortado, which he says he makes with two double shots of coffee and the same amount of milk. Rox Coffee Company uses their own brand of Arabica coffee beans and Njabula makes everything from cappuccinos to lattes and everything in between. How does he like his coffee? Strong, and not too hot. Njabula hopes to one day own his own coffee shop because he believes it’s a really good business to be in – and he really loves what he does. We asked Njabula what he thinks make a good barista, “I think character and personality are a big part of what makes someone a good barista,” he said. We couldn’t agree more!

Meet BONGANI SIKHAKHANE

Also born and bred in Durban, Bongani says he absolutely loves what he does. He started making coffee more than 10 years ago and has been working at Rox since 2017. One of Bongani’s career highlights was being named ‘Best Barista in Glenwood’ in 2009. One of his favourite coffees to make is a Cafe Mocha, which he makes with espresso, chocolate powder and milk, but his absolute favourite, he says, is his own creation called Bongani’s Bliss, which is made with goji berries, coconut milk, chocolate powder and coffee! Yum! While Bongani says he doesn’t necessarily want to own his own coffee shop one day, he does hope to have his own business in the coffee industry…perhaps sourcing and supplying coffee. Asked where he thinks the best coffee beans come from Bongani says he definitely thinks Ethiopia … somewhere he dreams of one day visiting himself.

Rox Coffee Company is situated on the beautiful Umhlanga beach promenade

Details: Rox Coffee Company, Umhlanga Beach Promenade, Umhlanga Rocks,
FB: Rox-Coffee-Company, 076 886 0107

Text: Leah Shone
Photographs: Mary-Ann Palmer

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