Full Steam Ahead: Highlights from the 2025 Streetwise Coffee Conference

Travel

15 May

Our 2025 Streetwise Coffee Franchisee Conference was held in Auckland this year - and what an awesome few days it was! This year's theme, ‘Full Steam Ahead,’ captured our collective focus on momentum, positivity, and pushing forward together, no matter what the world throws our way.

With 21 years in business under our belt, and despite the challenges of rising costs and interest rate hikes, the energy at this year’s conference was nothing short of inspiring. We’re proud to say Streetwise remains New Zealand’s most recognised and trusted takeaway coffee brand - and it’s all thanks to the passion and resilience of our franchise family.

Leading with Purpose

We were honoured to welcome Bruce Cotterill as our keynote speaker. A five-time CEO and an experienced transformation leader, Bruce shared powerful insights on inspired leadership and the importance of personality in customer service. He introduced us to his Three C’s - Clarity, Communication, and Consistency - which form the foundation of effective leadership. He spoke about the need to be clear on purpose, to communicate well with both customers and teams, and to maintain high standards through consistent actions. Bruce’s message was practical, engaging, and a perfect fit for our "Full Steam Ahead" theme.

A Journey Through Coffee

One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to the UCC Roastery, where we were guided through a global tasting session - or “cupping” as it’s known in the trade. From rich Robusta beans from Vietnam to smooth and earthy Papua New Guinea varieties, it was a sensory journey that reminded us of the craft at the heart of every cup we serve.

Honouring the Past, Welcoming the Future

We honoured Kenny Rae, our much-loved franchisee from Porirua, who passed away recently. Kenny’s presence, passion and energy will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

We also welcomed Chris and Mel Te’o, the new owners of the Porirua cart. Born and bred in Porirua, this duo brings with them a strong connection to their community - and a love of road cycling! We’re excited to see them bring their own energy and commitment to the Streetwise whānau.

Celebrating Excellence: The 2025 Streetwise Franchise Awards

As always, the awards evening was a chance to recognise some of the incredible achievements across our franchise network. Here are this year’s winners:

Highest Percentage Growth Turnover Award – Sponsored by Ecoware
Winners: Darryl and Lesley Robinson & Alexa Robinson – Ruapehu Street, Taupo
With an outstanding 24.66% growth, this team turned things around with strong social media, extended hours, fantastic customer service and consistently delicious coffee.

Customer Service Award – Sponsored by UCC
Winners: Brenda and Ricci Pakau-Timoti – Feilding
The feedback says it all - clean carts, friendly staff, great app service, and a welcoming vibe that made customers feel truly valued.

Highest Field Support Visit Scores – Sponsored by AlphaNZ
Joint Winners:

Stewart, Nicci & Sam Brodie – Karamu Road, Hastings
Kim Thomas, Andrea & Jarrod Rider – Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North
Both teams achieved top marks across both Field Support Visits, demonstrating exceptional consistency, standards, and adherence to the Streetwise system.

Franchisee of the Year – Sponsored by Streetwise Coffee
Winner: Adrienne Foote – Sanson
Adrienne wowed across the board with 100% Mystery Shop scores, a beautifully presented cart, and warm, genuine service that left a lasting impression. She's also played a key role in supporting the wider franchise network as a member of the Franchise Advisory Committee. A truly deserving winner!

Looking Ahead

The conference reminded us that we’re not just making coffee - we’re building community, connection, and careers. Our strength lies in our people, and together, we’re ready to steam ahead into another great year.

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors and partners for making the event possible: UCC, Alpha NZ, Goodman Fielder, Ecoware, Bidfood NZ, Gluten Free 4U, Frucor Suntory, Coca-Cola Europacific, and Quantum Law.

To all our franchisees - thank you for your hard work, dedication, and heart. Here's to another year of great coffee, great service, and great people. Onward and upward - full steam ahead!