For nearly 30 years, the smell of freshly roasted coffee has drifted from a small roastery on Wynyard Street. Chiasso Coffee Roasters has been part of Devonport’s morning ritual since 1997.
“We’re local, we’re independent, and we’ve been at this since 1997.” That’s how the family-owned roastery sums itself up. Brendan McKellar started the business back in ’97; today it’s run by his stepson Jono Norton, Jono’s wife Jaime and their business partner Ryan Murray, with Brendan still working in the roastery some days. Beans are roasted in small batches across two Shore sites: the original Wynyard Street store, home to a New Zealand–made Stonka roaster, and a dedicated Hillcrest roastery, where a custom Italian roaster, handmade in Occhiobello, was added a decade ago as demand grew. Either way, every bag is roasted right here on the Shore.
“We’re not a big corporation, and we’re not chasing volume,” says owner Jono. “We’re here because we genuinely love great coffee and want more people to experience it. Nothing is rushed. We take as long as it takes to get every roast exactly right.”
The sourcing is just as uncompromising: nothing gets roasted unless it earns its place. It shows across six signature blends: Milano, the most-awarded all-rounder; Metro, the original ’97 blend built for milk; Il Capo, “The Boss”, an old-school espresso; dark and smoky Forte; and two certified organic blends, Dolce and Pascolo. “Anyone can claim organic, and plenty do,” says Jono. “We went and got BioGro certified to prove it.”
The Wynyard Street shop is part espresso bar, part working roastery and part brew-gear treasure trove, with everything from hand grinders and stovetops to serious espresso machines, plus barista training and wholesale support for cafés across New Zealand. Dedication to quality has earned Chiasso Coffee a 4.8-star rating from more than 250 verified customer reviews.
Ryan Murray joined the business initially as the Devonport manager and is now general manager and part-owner, heading up an amazing team that knows its regulars by name and prides itself on quick, friendly service: great coffee, served fast, always.
August is midwinter, the season to slow down a little and savour every last sip. It suits slower weekend brewing: filter machines and stovetops for unhurried mornings, and Caravan hot chocolate to keep the kids happy while the grown-ups linger over a second flat white.
“Devonport has been good to us for nearly 30 years,” says Ryan. “Every bag of Chiasso coffee is roasted here on the Shore, just days before it reaches you, not months. You can taste the difference.”
The full range, including subscriptions and nationwide delivery, is at chiasso.co.nz.
Whether it’s a flat white at the counter, beans for home or gear for the serious enthusiast, the focus hasn’t changed since 1997: fresh, consistent coffee that tastes good every day.
And Channel Mag readers get a head start: 10% off your online coffee order with the code CHANNEL.
Chiasso Coffee Roasters
20 Wynyard Street, Devonport
Mon–Fri 7am–2pm. Saturday 7:30am–1pm.
Closed Sundays and public holidays
09 445 1816
coffee@chiasso.co.nz
chiasso.co.nz
