Gold rush as coffee company wins again

 

Local roasters Rush Coffee have claimed yet another medal for their flagship Rush Espresso blend, this time on an international level winning gold at the recent Australian International Coffee Awards.

This was the first year Hayden and Emma Prujean have entered the awards and are blown away with the result. They joined 167 other roasters from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan with a record breaking 800 entries across all categories.

Awards judges described the winning blend as outstanding; a complex, balanced profile with fruity cocoa flavours, a bright toffee body and a clean mouthfeel.

“I’m absolutely blown away,” says owner/operator Hayden Prujean. “We’ve won awards in New Zealand before, but never dreamed we would be recognised on an international level!”

The business was started by Hayden and Emma in 2006 and remarkably they continue to roast their award-winning coffee from their converted garage at the family home outside of Mangawhai.

In 2012 the Rush family was joined by daughter Betsy, making it a true local family business.

Hayden isn’t overly fond of the limelight, so Betsy will be travelling to the Melbourne International Coffee Expo in May to collect the medal at the official awards ceremony.

“I’m really excited to be able to visit the expo and collect the medal in person,” says Betsy. “It is an invaluable experience for me, and I plan on totally immersing myself in the Melbourne coffee scene and learning as much as humanly possible while I am there.”

Also on display at the event will be the World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits and World Cup Tasters Championships including the prestigious Australian Barista Championship.

The Rush blend is already New Zealand’s most awarded, with four gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze in the last five years at the New Zealand Coffee Awards. It is available at 15 local cafes and restaurants, which is an area of the industry they are looking to expand into.
 

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FAMILY FLAVOUR: The Rush Coffee team are Hayden and Emma Prujean (rear), daughter Betsy, and grandson Jack.