20 years ago, a shy petrol attendant befriended the founder of Avanti Coffee, a friendship that would later secure After Ndobe a job at the company. The owner at the time had a knack for identifying talent and wanted to impart as much knowledge as he possibly could to Ndobe and so he showed him the basic techniques of roasting coffee.

John Frater originally founded the business in 1987 in Burundi but moved to South Africa in 1999 when the civil war broke out. He was determined to continue his dream of creating exceptional coffee but he needed to focus on growing the business and so he needed someone to roast the green beans and he couldn’t think of anyone more suitable for the job than Ndobe.

Fast forward to today and Avanti has seen many changes over the years since its introduction into South Africa but the one thing that’s remained constant is Ndobe. He has mastered his craft over the past 20 years and we are proud to say that we remain one of the few coffee roasters out there that expertly crafts, meticulously blends and hand roasts our carefully sourced green beans.

He is precise and his attention to detail is second to none. This ensures consistency and helps to ensure that we provide the perfect balance and flavour in each cup. This is what has helped to earn us the reputation for delivering high-quality coffee and an authentic taste of Africa.

It’s this quality that has helped us grow into a full-service coffee solution, driven by a team that’s dedicated to providing customised service with the belief that each customer deserves a unique approach. Under the guidance of Ndobe, we create blends of coffee for home, office, restaurants and hotels. We have always remained true to our goals, and to the quality of our product – we believe in it, and we love it.

We are extremely grateful for his commitment to Avanti and look forward to celebrating the next 20 years with him.