Café

April Barista of the Month – Meet Holly

Kristy Aylmore

Saturday, 29 April 2023

This month we showcase our Grinders Cafe partner, Thrive in Darwin. A boutique pop up cafe, whose catch cry is ‘delivering real options for everyday lovers of deliciousness’. Valuing freshness, the menu is peppered with love and home made by Thrive Cafe Owner and mother.

We take 5 to chat to Thrive Cafe Head Barista Holly and ask for her hints to beat the Darwin heat (for those in the know, our Single Origin served as Cold Brew is a big hit for Darwin locals and visitors alike!) and other handy barista hints to serve the perfect brew.


Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I used to work at the Visitor Centre in Kakadu National Park, where my interest began in coffee. No one taught me to make coffee, I watched a lot of TikTok and YouTube and fell in love with it. I started working here at Thrive and have been here for 2 years.

What is your favourite part of working as a Barista?

Our lovely customers, plus we have a really great coffee bean to work with. I receive feedback every day that people love the coffee I make, which makes me happy about my job.

If you could give baristas one tip to help baristas make better coffee, what would it be?

Practice makes perfect. The way you steam milk and follow your coffee recipe, will improve with practice and repetition.

What new trends or changes have you seen coming from your customers or the industry? 

Definitely cold brew, we sell a lot of cold brew with a dash of milk. We also do a Banoffee, espresso, banana and ice, blended. Delicious!

What is your go to coffee order?

Darwin is really hot and humid, so I drink a decaf iced latte.

What do you think is special about Grinders Coffee?

Grinders Coffee is rich, soft and well rounded. We receive lots of great feedback from our customers. Evo, our Grinders Coffee Territory Manager, really helps us a lot, he is professional, reliable and fast to react to any problems.

What makes your cafe a great place to work?

We have a really good team, that I am confident with behind the counter. I also love meeting new customers every day and having a great boss makes it easier.

What is your favourite menu item from the cafe?

I love our homemade quiche with a decaf, that’s my favourite combo!

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