Our Story
Drift Coffee Co. began in 2015 as a humble passion project between two friends, Alex Thornton and Rebecca Liu, who shared an unwavering love for exceptional coffee and sustainable practices. What started as weekend experiments with a small 2kg roaster in Alex's garage in Port Augusta quickly evolved into something more meaningful.
The turning point came after a transformative trip to coffee farms across Ethiopia and Colombia, where they witnessed firsthand both the challenges and beauty of coffee cultivation. Inspired by the dedicated farmers they met and disturbed by the inequities in the traditional coffee supply chain, they returned to Australia with a vision: to create a coffee company that would honor the craft at every stage, from seed to cup.
In 2017, they opened their first small café on Hay Street, focusing exclusively on single-origin beans sourced directly from farmers they had personally visited. Word spread quickly about the remarkable depth and character of their coffee, and within a year, they expanded to include a dedicated roastery and education space.
Today, Drift Coffee Co. has grown into a respected name in Australia's specialty coffee scene, but we've never lost sight of our founding principles: exceptional quality, ethical sourcing, environmental responsibility, and creating meaningful connections through coffee.
