Same quality, same taste, different colour.
OASIS Coffee is famous for its iconic blue pack that brought the finest Greek style pulverised coffee to Australian homes. This weekend though, all eyes were on the OASIS tent at the Antipodes Festival in Melbourne, Victoria where they unveiled their brand new OASIS Caffeine Free Greek Style Coffee.
The reaction of those who tried the coffee, which was brewed in front of them on Lonsdale Street, was impressive. They closed their eyes for a moment to taste it and they could not tell the difference. Everything people have loved about OASIS Coffee – the texture, the flavour, the kaimaki – is all there except for the caffeine.
“What we find really interesting is that people don’t understand decaffeinated coffees. They are asking how we make them. ‘Is it a plant?’ they ask. No, it goes from a normal process to a decaffeination process and then you roast it,” OASIS Coffee director, Chris Togias, says.
The Greek Herald met Chris, along with his brother-in-law Peter Patisteas, at their roastery, where they have been curating the finest beans from around the world for decades.
Whether the beans come from Colombia, Brazil, India or even Ethiopia, they end up at the OASIS roastery and after being meticulously processed, they take their place in supermarket stores, continental grocers and delis. Later, the pulverised blends fill the brikis of coffee lovers across Australia.
“OASIS Coffee is the number one coffee product by loyalty in Australia’s biggest supermarkets,” Chris and Peter say.
Walking around the roastery in the Victorian suburb of Mulgrave, you can immediately see that you are in one of Australia’s most innovative and sustainable roasting facilities. Past and present, love and legacy, are visible in every corner. From the beautiful antique machinery to an in-house R&D lab and specialised equipment roasting, blending and packing coffee.
Of course, there’s also the workers. More than 20 people work for the company in Melbourne and when walking through the roastery you can see them smiling.
When it comes to sustainability, the directors also make sure to employ green initiatives and sustainable practices to run a highly efficient low-impact business ensuring the future health of the environment, local community and global coffee industry.
Peter’s father and uncle built the OASIS pulverised coffee business in the 70s and they expanded, acquiring the old Australian company Griffiths Bros. Today, the Oasis Griffiths Pty Ltd has a portfolio of premium coffee-first brands: Oasis Coffee, Griffiths Bros, Coffee Lab, Double Shot and partner brand DHUWA.
The most important thing is that the business combines 140 years of experience, where the boys’ passion for continuing their family’s legacy and preserving the Greek culture through coffee, is obvious.
“There is a cultural component to the Greek coffee that if it gets lost, it gets lost like language, it’s really hard to recover. And this product is what built the business,” the directors say.
“People are looking for the next thing in coffee, something different. This provides them with another bit of theater and enjoyment.”
The NEW OASIS Caffeine Free Coffee blend will be available at your nearest Continental Grocers, Foodstores, Delis and online www.OASISCOFFEE.COM.AU
