COFFIX looks to become household name

New Zealand owned and operated COFFIX is a company that puts ethical practices ahead of everything else. 

COFFIX opened its first store in Auckland in 2014 with a view to providing quality, affordable coffee and food to New Zealanders in an ethical manner. 
Says CEO Amit Zamirly: “New Zealand has a robust coffee culture and many New Zealanders really enjoy a good cup of coffee. However, the average cup of coffee is fairly expensive at between $4 to $5 per cup which can be prohibitive, especially for those who like to have more than one a day. We thought the time was ripe to ‘do good’ and provide New Zealanders with reasonably priced, high quality coffee. 

“Generally speaking, the average cup of coffee is priced the way it is because of the high overheads associated with traditional cafés and restaurants. With this in mind, we have created a model that would enable us to keep our overheads low and allow us to pass the savings on to customers in the form of affordable, quality, takeaway coffee.”

The COFFIX franchise model is based on a small platform, takeaway concept. COFFIX branches don’t feature all the usual elements associated with traditional coffee outlets such as sitting areas, crockery, waiters, menus and toilet facilities, all of which contribute to high overheads. The upshot is that COFFIX can sell coffee for just $2.50 per cup, which includes two organic, fair trade espresso shots. An extra espresso shot, syrup or soy milk are free of charge. 

COFFIX also offers food such as sandwiches, bagels, muffins and wraps for just $2.50. Notably, you won’t find any sugar-filled energy drinks on a COFFIX menu. Amit says this is because COFFIX wants to promote healthy eating habits in the communities COFFIX serves. 

COFFIX’s administration is based on an innovative management and ordering software system which streamlines operations and decreases food wastage. These initiatives contribute to a lower carbon footprint which Amit says dovetails with COFFIX’s environmentally friendly, ethical methodology. 

In line with this stance, COFFIX’s Arabica beans are sourced from reputable, certified fair trade organic cooperatives in the Pacific region and South America. Amit explains that certified organic, fair trade beans were a non-negotiable for COFFIX as their goal has always been to do good and support coffee bean growers.

Other environmentally friendly initiatives COFFIX has introduced are biodegradable cups, recyclable food packaging, reusable glass cups and napkins that are manufactured from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified pulp. 

COFFIX franchisees are given a choice in terms of the hours they work which enables them to strike a good work/life balance. Specifically, each store operates according to a set minimum number of work hours. Franchisees can choose to work over and above the minimum at their discretion. Amit points out that employees are also paid more than the average minimum hourly wage. 

Public reaction to COFFIX’s offering has been very positive. According to Amit, people appreciate that when they spend their money at COFFIX it has less impact on the environment and contributes to the ‘do good’ philosophy.  

Ten COFFIX stores have already opened across New Zealand and a further 15 are set to open within the next year.