DHUWA (‘Dee-Wah’) coffee is now available at selected Woolworths stores, making it the first Indigenous-owned coffee brand available at a major supermarket.
For every DHUWA coffee product sold in Woolworths, three per cent is donated to charity partner, Dreaming Futures which supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care.
The brand delivers premium coffee with a conscience to home baristas, according to DHUWA co-founder, Shawn Andrews.
“As a modern Indigenous owned, managed, and controlled business, we believe a great cup of coffee connects us as we share stories, build bonds, and nourish relationships. We call it ‘reconciliation in a cup’,” Andrews said.
“DHUWA, meaning to feel alive in Bidjara language, celebrates Indigenous people and their cultures, including the 300-plus languages they speak. It’s a reconciliation ecosystem in itself, from the coffee we create and the people we celebrate, as well as the opportunities we bring to other Indigenous people.
“The bigger picture behind DHUWA is to create a successful coffee enterprise that is soon able to train and employ Indigenous people and in so doing, contribute to their communities. It made sense to pair the oldest culture in the world with Australia’s oldest coffee roaster to bring customers a fantastic way to kick start their day.”
Griffiths Bros Coffee Roasters managing director, Peter Patisteas said he was thrilled that DHUWA had selected them to help bring the product to life.
“Coffee is a luxury that people won’t compromise on. DHUWA was founded over a shared passion of rich traditions, great coffee and good cause. For those reasons we take this partnership very seriously,” Patisteas said.
“We know from our 140-year provenance is that coffee is synonymous with conversation and community. The partnership with DHUWA has been a way for us to join in and start opening up conversations with non-Indigenous Australians.”
DHUWA’s premium beans are crafted into its coffee in Naarm on Wurundjeri country within the Kulins nations. The beans are sourced from the finest producers in the world including Brazil, Colombia, India and Ethiopia, as well as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The DHUWA coffee range is available in three different blends: First Light, designed for people using a filter method; Kickstart, perfect for a morning latte or espresso and Bigshot, rich and full-bodied to cut through milk for a DHUWA latte.
While the launch of DHUWA was exclusive to Woolworths, the team is focusing its efforts on expanding ranging through further retailers and distribution channels.
Written by Emily Bencic