Kerry Heffer was born in England, but moved to New Zealand with her family when she was nine. Her brother has always been in hospitality, and so she has been surrounded by delicious food and going to different cafes and restaurants through the years.
Her passion for hospitality came about ten years ago, when she first started out in the cafe scene. Heffer has always loved coffee for as long as she has been drinking it, and said that people definitely notice when she hasn’t had one in the morning. A good coffee, in her opinion, starts with the shot and requires a silky creamer. Her go-to coffee is a flat white, but she said that someday’s call for a mocha.
“I have always loved being around people and being able to make somehow their day a little brighter, whether it's with a smile, a delicious coffee or a few jokes,” said Heffer.
Heffer works at Industry Cafe in Invercargill, which is known for having a wide range of gluten-free items on the menu. The menu and cabinet change regularly.
“We have different specialty treats on different days of the week, and our customers love this. We pride ourselves on our great coffee, and will not send out a coffee if we are not happy with it, and I'm sure our huge clientele could vouch for that.”
She said that the best part about her job is seeing how much customers love coming into the cafe, and getting to know the staff. Heffer added that the staff at Industry Cafe pride themselves on making customers feel like they are part of the team. Learning the names of customers is something important to her, but it is also something that she enjoys doing. Many of Heffer’s close friendships have been formed as a result of this.
When she’s not working, she enjoys playing lawn bowls and spending time with her family. Industry Cafe only operates on weekdays, leaving the weekend for Heffer to relax. She also enjoys taking her dog to the beach for a walk and spending time outdoors when she can.
Heffer encourages anyone that has thought about pursuing a career in hospitality to pursue it, adding that every day is different, and the people you meet can be worth it.
