Seven Miles Coffee Company (previously know as Delano) operates out of North Wollongong. 

I asked Ben Irvine, the trade marketing manager, about the business and the coffee.

How and when did Delano begin?

Delano Specialty Coffee started roasting in Wollongong back in 2011. Initially, we were roasting coffee for just a handful of cafes in the Illawarra area and selling coffee from our own cafe in North Wollongong. Over the next 10 years, we kept expanding our roasting capacity as we partnered with more and more cafes throughout the NSW South Coast and around Australia, becoming one of the largest specialty coffee roasters in the region.

Why has Delano become Seven Miles Wollongong?

In 2021, new investors bought into the business and we became Seven Miles Wollongong. Seven Miles is a growing group of unique, local specialty roasters based in Sydney, Wollongong, Brisbane, Canberra and Orange. As part of a bigger Australian-owned network, we can continue growing to the next level, while still doing what we do best – roasting specialty coffee right here in Wollongong.

Has there been a change in local personnel?

No, it’s same team in the roastery, in our cafe and out on the road supporting local cafe customers. We’re just now part of a larger team working with local roasteries around Australia.

Do you still roast locally?

Yes, local roasting has been a core part of what we’re about since the start, and that hasn’t changed. Our three core blends continue under the Seven Miles brand and we are roasting more coffee than ever in Wollongong, now with even better access and visibility to a wider market in Australia through the network.

Tell me about your range of coffee.

Our Wollongong blends are Maverick, Bayside and Cargo. Each crafted from specialty grade coffees, these blends have become local favourites in some of the Illawarra’s best cafes. On top of that, we also roast an ever-changing selection of some of the world’s best single-origin coffees and seasonal blend releases.

How do approach the issue of sustainability with your products?

Sustainability has always been a key focus for us. This includes our precise, low-emission roasting facilities, composting and waste reduction in our Roastery Door cafe, sourcing compostable cups for our cafe partners and partnering with local gardening groups to utilise the hessian coffee sacks and chaff waste from the coffee-roasting process. It’s also little things, like cutting down on packaging waste by offering discounts and promoting to our customers to bring their own coffee storage container.

What about ethically sourced beans?

Ethical sourcing takes a few forms, and our coffees are a mix of these. It includes buying coffee through certification programs, such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, but it also includes directly sourcing coffee from coffee estates and cooperatives that put a premium on supporting the people involved in the coffee supply chain. By paying more and insisting on dealing with partners that share our values, ultimately our goal is to help deliver better outcomes for coffee producers and their communities.

Where can people purchase your products?

Our full range of coffee is available at our Roastery Door in North Wollongong, and in cafes throughout the Illawarra region, which you can see here. Our Maverick blend is also available online through the Seven Miles website.

Visit the Seven Miles shop and cafe at 85 Montague St, North Wollongong