Macfarlane’s year of living uncomfortably
Craig Macfarlane has spent the last year being comfortable with being uncomfortable.
He opened a Joe’s Garage in Queenstown, an Ozone Coffee Roaster in Grey Lynn, Auckland, and also in Bethnal Green in London. And he is gearing up for the opening of Airspresso at the new New Plymouth Airport terminal in February.
It’s been going well, he says. ‘‘We won best newcomer on the cafe scene in Auckland Metro Magazine and top 10 best cafes in Metro Magazine. It’s good to get the recognition and helps to provide the staff with a sense of motivation and impetus, because they are all part of that process. And it’s been a pretty big journey.’’
Last year Macfarlane was named 2018 Taranaki Daily News Person of the Year for his support of New Plymouth and the influence he has had on the hospitality industry in the region for more than 20 years.
Since then Macfarlane, 47, has been the single biggest influence in super-charging the cafe culture in New Plymouth. Along the way he has helped about 20 people set up their own businesses, and he provides employment for nearly 400 people.
‘‘You’d be amazed at how many New Plymouth people work for us in London,’’ he says. ‘‘So they’ve come from Social Kitchen, Little Glutton or Ozone itself and now they’re working in our business over there.’’
Executive chef Joe O’Connell, who is responsible for the menus for Ozone in Auckland and both London Ozones – the first was in Shoreditch – is from Waitara.
‘‘He’s been instrumental in making sure our food offering is well sourced and fit for purpose. Ozone New Plymouth is a very modest offering, whereas Auckland is completely influenced by our London menu.’’
London coffee is pretty comparative, he says.
‘‘In London they drink a lot more what you’d call soft brew, not espresso like we do from espresso machines, so their palate is open to a diversity of flavours. So we’re really trying to look at influencing the New Zealand market with that in mind and taking some of those learnings for here.’’
It’s always challenging doing any development away from what is familiar, he says. ‘‘I think you’ll remember [last year] I quoted something like – being comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s definitely been a year of that.’’
New Plymouth is still the home of Ozone, but his focus now is growing in emerging markets.
Next year, the plan is to consolidate and see what they could better, he says.
‘‘And looking at 2021 . . . using next year as a point of planning for emerging into the likes of the US or any other markets that become more apparent.’’
Macfarlane thinks receiving the award was a recognition of the contribution they’ve made both locally and nationally on the back end of many people’s contributions, he says.
‘‘That’s why I was happy to accept it, because I believe it was a good representation of a lot of people’s effort and most of them I’m still working with today after 20-odd years.
Macfarlane looks back to where it began, Macfarlane’s Caffe in Inglewood, which opened in March 1995. ‘‘They were good days. Tough but good.’’