Originally hailing from Scotland, Pol Nicholson came to Queenstown like most while travelling the world. Twelve years later, he is still here, living in Fernhill with his husband Andy Bell and fur babies, delivering fresh, ethically sourced, and expertly roasted beans to people's doorsteps.
Nicholson is the proud co-owner, operator and head roaster at Black Lab Coffee.
As a musician by trade, Nicholson spent the last decade performing five nights a week with wedding and corporate bands and in bars and clubs. However, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he knew his work would be in trouble, so he and his husband got into gear and put all their effort into the side project they had always wanted to start - a coffee roastery.
For six months, Nicholson taught himself everything about the coffee roasting process to find the best blend.
"I took some online courses, watched a million tutorial videos, purchased a small two-kilogram Bideli roaster and got to work," said Nicholson. "Luckily, we had a lot of friends who love to try new coffees and so had plenty of guinea pigs to practice on."
Nicholson has always had a passion for great coffee, so roasting was just the next step. Living in a town that loves to support local businesses and didn't seem to have many fresh local coffee roasters, he saw a gap in the market and took advantage of a great opportunity.
The most rewarding aspect of his job is hearing all the overwhelmingly positive feedback from their customers.
"I had a lot of imposter syndrome to start with, but once you hear how amazing your coffee is by everyone over and over again and by people who know their stuff, you are allowed to feel proud of it, I feel. I love how I work — I have the freedom to be my own boss. I do everything, so it's all on me and gives me a lot to do and think about."
A key focus of Black Lab Coffee is sustainability.
Striving to be as plastic-free as possible, the business uses paper packaging for all cafe and restaurant deliveries. They have also introduced a swap-in and swap-out container system with reusable containers, which can be swapped for a fresh one each time fresh coffee is delivered.
In the future, Nicholson and Bell would love to eventually set up a small roastery in town and have it as a space for people to come and see what they do.
For those aspiring to become a coffee roaster, Nicholson has some words of wisdom to share.
"Don't rush into too many things. I'm lucky as my partner always reminded me to slow down and not jump to rash decisions. Seek a lot of different and honest feedback. Be open-minded and honest about your goals, Don't expect to make any money for a year and make sure there is a suitable demand and supply."
blacklabcoffee.co.nz
