Our story

From their valley to our Valley

Ripe Coffee was started in 2001 by husband and wife Jason & Cate Hall.
Over the years, Ripe has grown into a beloved local business. With our experience in operating our own cafés, and with the knowledge we have gained during our 25 years of coffee roasting, we are well positioned to support independent cafés across the Wellington region and beyond.
To this day, Ripe Coffee remains independently owned and operated by Jason and Cate.

A man with long dark hair (Jason) works on a coffee roaster machine inside what looks like a workshop or laboratory. The machine has copper-colored upper sections and silver metal components, with wires and small hardware visible.

2001

The Beginning

Cate & Jason started Ripe Coffee in a small shed behind Go-Bang Espresso on Jackson Street.
Initially, we just supplied our own café, then as the word spread we started supporting other independent cafés.

Outdoor seating area of MoTown cafe with black and white branded wall panels, closed patio umbrellas, and metal tables and chairs on a sidewalk.

2004

MoTown

We moved the roastery into a larger space in Moera and over the next few years opened a string of espresso bars and small cafés across the Hutt valley and Wellington Region: Hutt Hospital, Manners St, Boulcott St, Cuba St, Brandon St, Queens Dr, Bowen St...

A street-facing view of a dark brown storefront with a red 'ripe' sign, outdoor seating with colorful chairs and umbrellas, and a clear blue sky above.

2011

Small Batch

The roastery was on the move again, this time back in Petone, on Waione St, with a new espresso bar, Small Batch, staying with the theme of a roastery within a café space.

An overhead view of a large warehouse interior with shelving, stacked boxes, bags, buckets, and two people walking through the space.

2017

The Roastery

We opened Hauora café at the Ministry of Health on Molesworth Street and moved the production kitchen into Small Batch café.
The opportunity of a larger industrial space came up in the old Unilever complex in Petone. This allowed us to spread out and increase our roasting capacity.

2026

25 years and counting

We are celebrating 25 years of Ripe Coffee.
Still passionate, still loving it, and still independently owned.

Our people

  • Cate & Jason

    Owners - DIrectors

    Jason comes from a trade background in motorcycle engineering and worked for 6 years in the World Motorcycle GP Championship as a technician. He is active in all areas of the business – you name it, he does it.
    Cate completed an Honours degree in Human Nutrition in Northern Ireland and loves being involved in the nutrition and food development at our cafes. She is responsible for operations at all our stores as well as staff recruitment and accounts management – let’s just say, she’s a busy lady!

    jason@ripecoffee.co.nz
    cate@ripecoffee.co.nz

  • Anne-Lise

    Head of Production

    After moving from France to New Zealand in 2012, Anne-Lise found her passion for coffee, starting out as barista and casually attending Ripe’s roasting and cupping nights. With the opportunity arising in 2018, Anne-Lise began as our Small Batch roaster, moving into the main roastery in 2020. Now you’ll find her at HQ overseeing production and helping out with admin work.

    annelise@ripecoffee.co.nz

  • Faye

    Roaster

    Starting in August 2019 as a barista, Faye’s passion for all things coffee and roasting has flourished at Ripe – she realised her love for learning about coffee just as much as drinking it. Faye is based at HQ where she roasts our coffee and prepares it for dispatch.

    roastery@ripecoffee.co.nz

  • Grant

    Dispatch Manager

    With a passion for coffee, Grant joined the Ripe team in 2019 as our delivery driver and roastery assistant. You will now find him at the roastery fulfilling customer orders and making them ready for delivery and shipping.

    orders@ripecoffee.co.nz