The 2023 NZSCA Recognition Awards were sponsored by member company Sucafina. The romantic tipi complete with a mirror ball created an atmosphere at Sherwood, Queenstown as 90 coffee industry legends gathered. The Recognition Awards acknowledge the individuals within NZ who give back to the industry and also create the community we have today. Nominated by peers, customers, and providers, the names are collated and then presented in a fun relaxed style befitting our community.

Historical Award – 2023 Francis Hollis and Lance Wyatt

MC duo David Burton and Megan Wyper took us back to the early 80s when the Hollis/Wyatt partnership formed in Mansion House, an office coffee supply company in Auckland. In those early days, they purchased Robert Harris coffee to on-sell to their customer base.

In the late 80’s they purchased a 3kg roaster and entered the roasting game, it didn’t take long to work out that the 3kg roaster was not going to cut it. The decision was made to build their own coffee roaster and Bertha, a 50kg roaster was born.

David recounts that he met “Frances and Lance in 1989 when my brother John asked if I would help them out with their new NZ-built roaster. They were having a few problems. The cooling fan was blowing rather than sucking and there was insufficient heat generated in the roaster”  Rookie roaster reckonings that were soon rectified.

“We managed to overcome these problems and after discussions, the seed of Burton Hollis was started.” In 1995 this team launched Columbus Coffee.

Roz Cattell shared her memories: “They truly believe in the NZ Specialty Coffee Industry.   They believe that we should all be drinking fresh coffee.  They have watched the industry grow and evolve over the past 40 years and embraced the change. Even though Mansion House was sold to Sara Lee Corporation in 2000 (under the Douwe Egberts umbrella), they remain involved in our industry” 

Shamsi Power of Bean Alliance Group tells us more about working with Francis “I was part of Roasters Coffee in the mid-2000s when we were bought out by Burton Hollis. Frances was immediately approachable, inspiring, and supportive of me as a young sales rep.

“She impressed upon me the importance of remembering the small details of her customers, the names of their kids, what kind of dog they had, to remain curious and interested in the many different people you come across in this industry. That you can be firm and decisive while remaining warm and down to earth. In those days there were not as many women in the coffee industry, and she stood out to me, as a mentor and leader.” An ethos that resonates with many.

Roz sums them and their contributions up: “Both are still connected to Columbus Coffee. Frances is on the Columbus Board and you’ll still find Lance with son Aaron at Beverage Services helping out… and thinking about the next idea.”

In her elegant nature, Francis accepted the Award and regaled us with moments in time that many of us wouldn’t even have realised or have been born. And isn’t this what the industry is about? Recognising the past on which we build a solid sustainable future.

Congratulations Francis and Lance.  It’s a pleasure to belong to an industry that recognises the pioneers and an honour to learn about those who paved the way.

Friend of the Association

For always being a passionate and enthusiastic supporter of the NZSCA.

This is an award for an independent individual in recognition of their personal contribution to the NZSCA. These contributions may include but are not limited to the dedication of time, volunteerism, contributions of professional knowledge, exemplary work on a specific NZSCA project, or other notable contribution.

An Nguyen

An has been very active in the barista community for some time now. Competing at events and also volunteering his time freely. Always a pleasure to be around and positive and nothing is ever too much trouble. He’s a natural leader that doesn’t demand the spotlight. He has claimed the NZ AeroPress title representing NZ in Sydney, he’s also a Barista League winner, and barista champs competitor, and has been known to make a few coffee cocktails. Always a fun and humble person to be around.

Emma McDougall: Kia Ora katou katoa, ngā mihi et te whanau, welcome everyone, family and friends.

Ko Emma toku ingoa ahau and we are going to get into the next award with an absolute legend of the industry. He’s quiet and he’s softly spoken and he just gets the job done.

He’s not showy, he’s understated. when his wife had their third baby and we congratulated him he said “All well, job done.” 

He’s a man of such few words that if you were to look at his Instagram, you only see images and professional reels where the ingredients, the synergy, and the sum of the whole of the cocktails are greater than its parts. But there are very few photos of him on his Instagram. Just a slick social media presence that puts marketing companies to shame. 

He volunteers cause he loves it. We are lucky to have many photos of him in the background making sure our events run with technical precision, with the music at the right level, any profanity filtered out, and the man who will stay late to organise the av team, upskill them, complete a proper handover and relieve our stress. He takes new people under his wing “That’s easy” is his motto

An’s not afraid of competing either, testing himself and his skills on many stages. And he always shares his knowledge. 

An won our CiGS Throwdown in 2019. His prize money he gave straight to his wife. 

An came back in 2020 with a robusta because he had something to show about a coffee he loved.

An is practical. He built a hand coffee roaster in his backyard and shone on the international stage when he was the Winner of the Barista League online in 2020 beating out baristas from around the world.

He’s the only person whom I’ve ever seen to be ecstatic to win second place in the Aeropress competition because he wanted a trifecta of first second and third trophies.

He volunteers countless hours, turning up and making everything tick away seamlessly. 

Thanks to our sponsors at latte art, we catered to the crew with Vogel’s and Biscoff spread. And we borrowed a big toaster from Supreme. I didn’t have an exit plan for the toaster but An did. He said to a competitor “You work at Supreme eh? Take that toaster back. I’ll put it in your car”

And so An, an amazing Friend, the epitome of humbleness and helpfulness, this is another trophy to go on your already heaving shelf. With your quiet practical determination, there’s no doubt that you will probably add more to your collection over the years by continuing to donate your valuable time, gentle energy, Aroha, and skills to the coffee industry. Ngā mihi nui e hoa.

Thank you, friend,

I’d like to welcome Sarah Kennard winner of this award in 2021 to present An with his trophy.

If anyone has any video footage of An’s acceptance speech, we’d love to see it.  He was hilarious, loud, and put my words to shame.  It was comedy gold and we are thankful to have him as a friend.

Ongoing Contribution:

This is an award for an individual in recognition of their outstanding ongoing contribution to the NZSCA and the Coffee industry as a whole, they have consistently dedicated time and knowledge to make a lasting impact on the industry and the association.

     Emma Markland Webster presented David Po-Chun Huang with his Award.

He always makes time and gives his time freely to help others with their own growth in the industry, from guiding others to do more and sharing knowledge. ​

​He is not only a great ambassador for NZ specialty coffee on the world stage as a Judge but also as a friend and mentor to other coffee professionals and judges in NZ hoping to reach the same level one day.

David has been around the industry for a while, anyone that knows David will know he breathes coffee and café life. He is highly involved in the barista championship events. Not only in New Zealand but the world events too.  

 ‘The force is strong with this one’ 

David or ‘Huang’ as I have always called him (too many David’s) has been around coffee for a while his CV lists his first job as 2003 David was a head barista at Columbus Onehunga. I think he became head barista after 2 months of working and I think this was his first ‘serious’ role in coffee, hence the start of his CV. He credits the culinary shows and the early years of the Robert Harris Barista championship as a driving force.  

He lists his baby barista achievements as: 

2007 New Zealand Latte Art Championship – 2nd place  

2009/10 New Zealand Barista Championship 1st in Auckland region 
3rd in New Zealand  

2008 ~2010 Member of New Zealand Trans-Tasman Barista Team  

Core Achievements: 

SCAA-certified IDP Instructor 2011  

WCE certified judge, WBC sensory & latte Art 

2011~present, Latte Art & Sensory Barista New Zealand 

2011~2019 HSI workplace accessor. 

What he doesn’t list is: 

Skills as a roaster, coffee bagger, and business mentor to many, and where the best places to eat are anywhere in the world. Also a very good tour guide! Using public transport…

David’s favourite line is ‘Caring is Sharing’ and if this is so… he must care a lot as he gives sooo much of his time freely not only to coffee lovers in Auckland at cupping and learning events that he puts together and hosts but also the association through devotion to the championships and mentoring and sharing his knowledge with others. 

I have had the pleasure to sit/ride alongside David for many of these years on tour in NZ and overseas as a friend, teacher, judge, and fellow teammate in the Trans Tasman Years. He is always willing to roll up his sleeves, and just do what needs to be done. 

On speaking to David recently about his day-to-day I realised he truly is a machine to be able to do everything that he does. He wakes up at 5 am starting work at 5:30… This way he can get many tasks done undisturbed whilst the masses sleep. Genuis why have I never thought about this! 

Thank you David you are a legend.  

May the sharing is caring continue for many years to come… 

Life Time Achievement Award:

For individuals who have distinguished themselves in terms of making a significant contribution to the New Zealand specialty coffee industry. NZSCA lifetime membership is awarded to people who have served the coffee industry in New Zealand or brought distinction to it over and above the normal course of their job.
For an individual to qualify for a Lifetime membership, they must have fulfilled one of the following:

1. Excellence and high achievement in their career that reflects positively on the coffee industry;

2. Having served with distinction in the management of, or service to, the NZSCA or the coffee industry.

Lifetime membership is the NZSCA’s highest honour in recognition of coffee excellence and contribution.

Scott Pepler of UCC presented Nic with his Lifetime Achievement Award.

For Nic’s dedication to supporting the NZ industry, through mentorship of individuals and other companies over many, many years has to be noted. ​

​Bringing the concept of a Barista Championship to NZ through the Robert Harris Barista Championship, supporting the NZCRA through the transition to the association, running the event, and in more recent years support through a long-standing board position. These are just some of the many reasons.

Please read what people had to say about Nic’s coffee career here>Nic McClean