Our story

Chris and Jonelle Jarvis laughing together at the counter in the Bay Espresso roastery

A tiny ad in The Dominion

We were living in Wellington when we saw a tiny ad in The Dominion. Within four weeks we'd bought a cafe on Karamu Road, sold our home and moved the family to Hawke's Bay, chasing better weather (sorry Wellington, we love you really) and the perfect cup of coffee. That was 2004.

An early Bay Espresso coffee stall at a market, with coffee sacks, an espresso machine and a chalkboard menu under a green gazebo — Our coffee stall at a farmers market, right at the start of Bay Espresso.

Eggs, then coffee, then roasting

We learnt to cook eggs first. Then to make an excellent coffee. Then to roast our own beans.

The previous owners had started a small roasting operation, and Chris taught himself the rest, mostly by asking customers how they liked their coffee, over and over. Cafe Blend came out of those early years: low in acidity, naturally sweet, with a good strong hit. It's still our best seller.

In 2010 one of our espresso blends won gold at the New Zealand Coffee Awards, in the NZ Roasted Espresso category, with a silver in the organic section for good measure.

The Probat roaster at Bay Espresso in Hastings — The Probat, where every bag is roasted.

Why only organic

Back then most NZ roasters had one token organic or fair trade blend. We saw a gap, and decided to roast only certified organic, fairly traded coffee. Chris has since travelled to origin with our importer to meet the growers.

Why we choose organic

A world of art and great coffee

I studied graphic design, and in 2004 my plan was "a world of art and great coffee". I've stuck to it. I drew our logo and everything on our bags, cups and tees, and painted the murals in the cafes. Chris once told me he wasn't going to keep buying cafes just so I could paint murals.

Painting and ceramics are still my first love. These days I also run pottery workshops at the roastery, where you make your own coffee cup.

Jonelle's art

Jonelle Jarvis's painting: a black coffee cup and red heart with the words Black as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love — Black as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love

Jonelle Jarvis's hand-drawn illustration of the life cycle of Bay Espresso coffee, from coffee cherries and green beans to the roaster and the cup — The life cycle of a Bay Espresso coffee

Jonelle Jarvis's painting of a yellow espresso cup in front of a red heart and sunburst, with the words Sweet as love, espresso — Sweet as love

Tap a picture to see it full size.

Pottery workshops

The year we thought it was over

When Covid closed the cafes, we honestly thought the business might be finished. Instead online orders went through the roof, and a lot of those customers are still with us. Thank you.

Out of the back unit

For 15 years we roasted in a back unit on Omahu Road. In October 2020 we moved the roastery into central Hastings and opened it to the public for the first time, with Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst cutting the ribbon. Now you can have a coffee metres from where it was roasted.

The Bay Espresso roastery on Ellison Road, Hastings, with Jonelle's painted mural beside the shopfront and sign — The roastery on Ellison Road, with Jonelle's mural.

Looking after our own

In October 2025 we ran a 24-hour Roast-a-thon at the roastery to support our mate Rory. You turned up: around 700 coffees and nearly $20,000 raised for Rory and his family.

Come and say hello.

Visit us

Jonelle and Chris