The Australian Women in Coffee Association was launched just three months ago and is already fostering communities of support for coffee lovers across the country.

There were 20 women at the May 11 launch of the association at Axil Coffee Roasters in Hawthorn, and founder Maria Paoli from Melbourne Coffee Tours said the groundswell of support has only grown since.

“Just last night I was at the launch of communal coffee space Maillard Atelier where we had six representatives of the association and people were just feeding off us. We had young baristas and café owners and suppliers coming up to us and asking questions about Women in Coffee and as sounding boards we’re generating a lot of positivity.”

The association welcomes all people regardless of gender, with Maria saying the common denominators for members are the need for connections. “People need to feel they are part of something and that they have a voice within the industry, and that’s what the association is doing for people. Women are actually fifty-five to sixty per cent of the industry but we haven’t had a strong voice because the industry has been male dominated.”

One voice rising above is that of the association’s South Australian group leader Georgina Lumb. The 2016 Australian AeroPress Champion recently returned from representing her country at the world championships in Dublin to her day job as Patio Coffee Roasters’ training manager. Despite seemingly soaring to the top of the world game, Georgina knows all too well the challenges faced by women in coffee.

“Girls will talk about experiences they’ve had where they’ve been serving and the customer just expects a man will be making the coffee, which is very belittling.” In that context, the association is proving invaluable. “We’re all about support and empowering people because there are a lot of baristas out there that do feel isolated and cut off.

“We want to work with them,” she continued, “because we’ve got this really strong community now with Women in Coffee. We’re really positive about what we’re hoping to achieve, and the word’s starting to get out there: people know we’re here and we can be used as a resource.”

The Café Biz National Roadshow has significantly boosted the association’s profile in Brisbane, Darwin and Adelaide. Group meetings were timetabled into the roadshow, with Café Biz and Café Culture International’s Kristine Edwards pledging her companies’ ongoing support.

“Café Culture is the voice of the café industry so we have to be pushing to create spaces where women can network, lead and empower one another in coffee,” said Kristine, who also serves as the association’s NSW group leader. Cafe Culture’s commitment will continue long after Café Biz Hobart wraps, Kristine said.

“There’s a really strong sense of excitement around the association. I think people are starting to realise the possibilities when we’re all working together.”

The association’s members have flagged their intent to support numerous charitable projects, Maria said. “Our whole attitude is to look at others within our community that need help and that we can help. Our members have common goals and we think of the person next to us first. We have to be the change we want to see. We can’t sit there and burn our bras and fight ‘the man’ – Women in Coffee is about creating an inclusive environment regardless of gender or background. We include and lead by example and that’s why people are reacting the way they are and wanting to know more.”

You can find out more by emailing maria@evolvingsuccess.com.au or connect with the association online at www.facebook.com/australianwomenincoffee