Finding Home in Rio, the Australioca
Daniel Mark Hobbs took the path less travelled - having trained as a mechanical engineer, Daniel took a holiday to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007 and never looked back.
Daniel Mark Hobbs with the Aussie Coffee Brazil Cart
Image Credits: @pereiracharles1
Daniel spent time building up his idea, bouncing ideas with his friends back home in Melbourne, Australia: to run his own coffee venture in Rio. He wanted to prepare and serve coffee the way he did back home in Melbourne, providing a slice of home to his customers in Rio. Insisting on overseeing the details in the business, Daniel designed his own coffee kiosk, and learnt how to roast beans — determined to serve ‘Brazilian coffee, Australian style’. The kiosk itself, is a coffee cart that is a mobile espresso bar, and is able to travel up to 30km an hour. It was built together with friends back in Australia, Bruce from Custom Aluminium in Osbourne Park with inputs on steering geometry by Aldo, of Quantum Bikes in North Perth. To elaborate further, Daniel explains that espressos are always served double shots, and hence, as he explains, they only serve long macs instead of macchiatos.
The years of hard work have paid off: established in 2016, Aussie Coffee Brazil is the fruit of his labor, serving coffee that — as he says, is akin to having a cup that gets oneself through the day, to having a ‘true experience’ with the espresso. At Aussie Coffee Brazil, Daniel and his team sources from producers within the country. Their espresso is from made from beans produced
Aussie coffee roast by Marcelo & Roberto Flanzer
by Marcelo and Roberto Flanzer, a natural process red catuai that has flavour notes reminiscent of semi - sweet chocolate, and of brown sugar. With that, Daniel designed his coffee menu, replete with offerings known to Australian - styled cafes including, the Long Mac Topped Up. Aussie Coffee Brazil also includes coffee styles familiar to Rio such as the ‘carioca’ long coffee, and Daniel’s signature ristretto: a short, sweet espresso, served with a dash of water.
Believing that it is the cafe that brings people together, sparking ideas, and conversation, Daniel
insists on ensuring that hospitality and friendly baristas are present at his cafes. He attributes this
trait to the cafes back home, where cafes are almost second home to customers. In his ventures, Daniel makes sure to call his customers by name, and build community, conversation at a time. He hopes to showcase to locals how coffee as a beverage is versatile and dynamic - and can be tailored to one’s preferences. Notably, Jennifer has been a barista with the team for 5 years, and has been part of the journey to bring Aussie Coffee Brazil to places.
Jennifer has been working and managing Aussie Coffee for the past 5 years. Image Credits: @aussiecoffeebrazil
While a satisfying journey, the path does not prove smooth all the time. On the sustainability front,
Daniel has difficulties having his customers getting used to biodegradable cups. At present, together with his business partner, hope to bring in freshly made pastas and serve tacos — extending the Aussie cafe brand to food and hospitality as well.
This ‘Australioca’, as he describes himself - a mix of Carioca, and Australian is here to stay in Rio, and looking to push the coffee and cafe culture, a unique Australioca, within Brazil, and beyond.
Aussie Coffee Brazil
Rua Visconde de Pirajá 98
Apartment 2, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
Brazil