Dukes Coffee opened its first store in Melbourne in 2008. Dukes is now Australia’s only coffee roaster working exclusively with Regenerative Organic Certified and Organic Certified specialty-grade coffees, and every coffee it sells is certified organic, with some releases also holding Regenerative Organic Certification. The reasoning is that organic agroforestry builds healthier soils and more resilient ecosystems, and that coffee grown under diverse shade matures slowly and develops more complex flavour. Dukes buys directly from growers, cooperatives and producer groups.

The coffee is roasted in Melbourne through the week and shipped daily with a roast date on every bag. The range rests on three organic espresso blends, one of them developed since 2008, with single-producer espresso and filter releases, a Microlot Program, a Season’s Best release and single-serve steep bags. Dukes also runs Australia’s only specialty coffee subscription roasting exclusively certified organic coffees.

The flagship café, Dukes at Ross House in the CBD, has served the city since March 2013 and brews only certified organic coffees. Wholesale partners get personal delivery in Melbourne and Perth, equipment support that includes in-house service for La Marzocco machines, and barista training at the company’s Richmond and Perth training centres. The current retail range is listed below with the roaster’s own tasting notes.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Dukes Coffee