Coffee Mentality Archives - West End Today

Brisbane-based coffee roastery Coffee Mentality, which began as a humble coffee van at West End Markets, has achieved global recognition after securing Overall Runner-Up at the 2025 Golden Bean World Series. The competition, held in Guatemala, is the world’s largest and most prestigious coffee roasting championship, attracting the best from the USA, East Asia, and Australia.

2025 Golden Bean World Series — *Photo Credit: Coffee Mentality/Instagram*

From Market Stalls to World-Class Recognition

Founded by Ian Abadiano, Coffee Mentality has grown from a West End Markets coffee van into a respected specialty roastery with a Gabba-based roasting facility and three stores in Stones Corner and South Brisbane. The brand’s commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and quality roasting has led to its global success.

At the 2025 Golden Bean World Series, Coffee Mentality took home Silver in the Milk-Based category, Bronze in the Filter category, and ultimately finished as Overall Runner-Up—an extraordinary feat for a local Brisbane roastery competing against some of the biggest names in the coffee industry.

A Win for Brisbane’s Specialty Coffee Scene

The Golden Bean World Series is often regarded as the Olympics of coffee, with over 180 top coffee brands competing in various categories. Coffee Mentality’s success proves that Brisbane’s specialty coffee scene is capable of standing toe-to-toe with globally renowned coffee destinations.

Mr Abadiano shared that they have always been driven by core values of people, passion, and planet. The award is a testament to the hardworking farmers who grow the beans they proudly serve.

In a symbolic gesture of gratitude, Coffee Mentality presented one of their medals to the Colombian coffee growers behind their award-winning beans. This move highlights their commitment to ethical sourcing and recognition of the effort that goes into every cup of coffee.

Sustainability and Innovation at Coffee Mentality

Beyond roasting award-winning coffee, Coffee Mentality champions sustainability and circular economy initiatives. Their Gabba roastery offers a Coffee Tasting Experience, educating customers on repurposing coffee byproducts such as cascara (dried coffee cherry skin) and chaff. These sustainability efforts earned them a Finalist spot in BCC’s WasteSmart Awards.

Their mission remains clear: to deliver exceptional coffee while uplifting the communities involved in its production.

*Photo Credit: Coffee Mentality/Instagram*

Brisbane’s Coffee Industry Gains Global Attention

Coffee Mentality’s Golden Bean achievements firmly place West End and Brisbane on the world coffee map. As the brand grows, its success inspires other Australian roasters to achieve global recognition.

With its commitment to quality, ethical sourcing, and sustainability, Coffee Mentality proves that great coffee isn’t just about the brew—it’s about the people behind it.

Published 4-Mar-2025

On the hunt for a new nook with good coffee? If you’re a West End Saturday market regular for years, you might have tried Coffee Mentality. They’re now opening a fit-out on Stanley Street, where customers can try 32 kinds of specialty-grade single-origin coffee.

Coffee Mentality‘s Ian Abadiano has been serving coffee lovers from his mobile coffee van at various markets across Brisbane or his shop on Montague Road in South Brisbane since 2012. But this new store, which will have its soft opening on March 2021, has its very own “tasting room” where coffee lovers can savour the flavours of premium quality coffee as they’ve never tried before.

“I believe this will be a first for Brisbane – a place where locals can access up to 32 specialty grade single-origin coffee and brew them the way they like it,” Ian said.

“One of the 32 varieties will be our own “Panama coffee” – referring to Melbourne’s latest offering of $198 a cup of Panama Geisha, priced for its rarity.

“It may not be a geisha, but this will be as rare as you can get¬– Brisbane’s first single origin coffee.”

Since 2016, Ian has been working hard with community gardens in Brisbane, through the Urban Coffee Project initiative, to cultivate coffee trees and grow the best coffee beans in Brisbane.

Some of these beans, which were grown from his own backyard at his Sunnybank Hills home, have won awards at the annual Golden Bean Roasting Competition in Australia and New Zealand.

“It has been my goal to dispel the myth that specialty coffee doesn’t have to grow thousands of kilometres away in high altitude – that we do have the potential to grow quality beans in an urban setting,” he said.

“We need to do our bit in promoting sustainably led coffee. My goal is to grow 100 coffee trees around Brisbane to produce a decent supply of locally grown coffee.”

“I want to help people everywhere gain fresh perspectives on how coffee is grown, processed, distributed and brewed. So that every step of the way, it’s better for people, and better for the world. It’s a different mentality,” Ian said.

Coffee Mentality in East Brisbane will be fully operational by March-end.

Tag: Coffee Mentality

Brisbane’s Coffee Mentality Puts West End on the World Coffee Map

From Market Stalls to World-Class Recognition

A Win for Brisbane’s Specialty Coffee Scene

Sustainability and Innovation at Coffee Mentality

Brisbane’s Coffee Industry Gains Global Attention

Go Loco for 32 Specialty Coffees at Coffee Mentality in East Brisbane