13 May 2019

Regional Gem: Six8 Coffee Roasters

| Sophia Brady

Coffee with a conscience: Six8 ingredients are responsibly sourced so it’s good for you and good for the community. Photo by Six8 Coffee Roasters.

Looking for good coffee beyond the city limits? Well, look no further than this true gem in Yass, NSW that not only produces a mighty fine brew but does it with a social conscience in a great community atmosphere.

Six8 Coffee Roasters produces speciality, ethical coffee roasted on-site. Owners Daniel & Toni Neuhaus are both Canberra born, Yass locals, who say they have “the added bonus of extensive travel which helps us to really appreciate our community!”

Owners Daniel & Toni Neuhaus.

“We started Six8 Coffee Roasters back in 2013, in the spare room of our apartment in Sydney. Back then, we had 2 children, we now have 4 and were working full time in Christian Missions, training young people in cross-cultural relations and community work. We started the business as a response to the vast poverty and abuse that we saw in our years working in communities around the globe and even in Australia.”, the pair says. As part of their philosophy, Six8 coffee only sources ethically traded coffee, ensuring that farmers are paid a decent price for their coffee, and that slave labour is not a part of the process.

At the forefront of it all, they produce an amazing cup of coffee that is all about the details! From knowing exactly where the beans have been ethically sourced to the sugar that is used in the cafe. Six8 only offers a sun-dried sugar cane juice called Panella, which is not only very minimally processed but also pairs much better with their coffee than white sugars and sweeteners. The milk is also ethical and sustainable, from the Little Big Dairy Company in Central West, NSW where the family-owned operation knows every cow by name and produces high-quality milk that pairs perfectly with Six8’s coffee.

The cafe boasts an impressive list of coffees from around the world, including Ethiopia, East Timor, and Colombia. Photo by Six8 Coffee Roasters.

Operating out of Trader & Co., just off the main street in Yass, Six8 coffee roasters shares the collective space with like-minded businesses in the area. With a hip industrial warehouse vibe, it houses not just coffee but healthy made to order food and a self-serve whole foods pantry. It also provides a space for creative workshops and community events. Walking into and through the space, it reminded me of the original Lonsdale Street Traders project in Braddon – buzzing with locals, energy and great ideas. Daniel is one of three business partners in Trader & Co., all of whom are committed to giving back to the local and global community. Placing value on sustainability, humanity, creativity, equality and looking at the world in a gentler way. He said about the venture, “Probably the biggest thing we like is that we really are a community. Not only as the business’, but our customers really have become a part of our community too. It’s like one big, messy family! Certainly not without its challenges, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!”


Six8 Coffee Roasters is located at:

Trader & Co.
2/92 Meehan St, Yass NSW 2582
six8coffee.com

Original Article published on the RiotACT.