2024 marks a significant milestone for the Lambton-based coffee roastery, Sprocket Roasters, as they celebrate 15 years of innovative and sustainable coffee production.

To celebrate this epic milestone, we caught up with the Sprocket team to hear all about the business's journey over the past 15 years and exactly what we may expect moving into the future.

The team of founders, Chelsea, Ross, John, and Nick, who, despite not originating from the coffee industry, share a deep passion for coffee. Their diverse backgrounds in farming, engineering, viticulture, and law brought a fresh perspective to the coffee roasting process – a first for not only Newcastle, but Australia-wide. Today, Chelsea and Ross continue the Sprocket Roasters journey alongside their dedicated team of coffee lovers. 

This unique blend of expertise allowed them to identify a critical issue often overlooked in the industry – the environmental impact of the roasting process itself.

What sets Sprocket apart is not just the exceptional quality of their coffee but their unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability – a core philosophy ingrained in every aspect of their business operations.

“While a lot of emphasis is rightly placed on sustainability practices in the country of origin of beans, we realised that the roasting process, particularly using traditional drum roasters reliant on fossil fuels, was an area ripe for innovation,” Chelsea said.

This commitment to sustainability led Sprocket to develop a revolutionary roasting technology that operates on alternative bioenergy sources instead of fossil fuels. This innovative approach reduces carbon emissions and repurposes end-of-life products like spent coffee grinds and organic materials into fuel for the roaster.

Even coffee husks, typically discarded as waste, are transformed into fuel, resulting in minimal smoke, odours, and harmful emissions.

Beyond their roasting technology and practice, Sprocket embraces sustainability across all facets of their business including a roof adorned with 62 solar panels, recyclable and reusable packing, and circular economy practices.

“We do a lot of work on restoring older machines and retrofitting them – we don’t feel the need to buy everything brand new. We’re farmers, so using what we have around the farm has been deeply embedded into us. A circular economy is just a way of life for those of us who grew up on the land.”

As Sprocket celebrates 15 years of sustainable coffee excellence, their vision for the future remains focussed on continuous innovation and environmental sustainability.

Moreover, their dedication to providing exceptional wholesale service to cafes to some of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie’s most well-known venues like The Van at Bar Beach, Cargo Espresso in Redhead, Gamble and Brown in Kotara, Lynch’s Hub in Newcastle, and Jimmy’s in Warners Bay underscores their commitment to sustainability beyond their production processes.

“Cafe owners are the most hard-working people in town and we wouldn’t be here today without their continued support!”

As Sprocket Roasters continues to lead the charge in sustainable coffee roasting, their story serves as an inspiration for businesses seeking to merge innovation with environmental responsibility.

For those yet to sample the Sprocket Roasters, drop by one of the aforementioned venues or head directly to Sprocket’s coffee door on Wyong Road in Lambton to get your hands on their products.