Tamika Hudson and her business partner Gary Draper have always enjoyed healthy food choices, and now they’re inviting their customers to do the same.
“We thought it’d be a good idea to start up our own café with a strong focus on serving fresh organic coffee, food, and raw juices,” Tamika says. “We believe in eating organic and being as healthy as possible and we noticed there wasn’t really anything that catered to this market in Ipswich.”
It wasn’t long before Gary found a vacant block of land, and next thing they knew, the doors to their new organic café opened in April 2014. Everything at Beans and Greens Organic Café is based on seasonality and freshness. The coffee served is Toby’s Estate’s La Trinidad, a single origin blend of three different processes of Finca Santa Teresa beans – honey, washed, and natural.
“We hired coffee consultant Peter Dobrenov to help us select the right coffee to match our ethos, and we found that Toby’s Estate was the right match for us. Their coffee is environmentally friendly, Fairtrade and socially responsible,” says Tamika. “Toby’s Estate puts a lot back into the coffee farms they work with, including school education and employment opportunities for farming families, so we aim to put that same effort back into the coffee we prepare for our customers.”
The café has only been opened a few months, but already Tamika says they have a loyal following from Ipswich locals. “When people walk into our café they are so happy to find a dedicated organic café. We try to educate our customers on the benefits of healthy food options and why our coffee is so good.”
Increasingly, Tamika says customers come into the café with an array of food allergies, but they can rest assured there is something to offer everyone, including gluten and dairy-free products, vegan and wheat-free options. A fresh menu of raw food items are prepared at the café, including wild rice arrancini, freshly-made salads and sweet treats that are high in protein. Juices and smoothies are just as popular at the café, with favourite items including the Coconut Rough, Anti-Cancer and Detoxifier vegetable juices.
“I find it rewarding that people are starting to realise the importance of healthy eating,” says Tamika.
“It can be overwhelming, but that’s where we come in.”
