Melbourne coffee taste test: Is a $1 coffee from 7-11 actually any good?

We’re a city obsessed with a daily flat white, so can a convenience store cup of joe really stack up? We put a handful of coffees to a blind taste test – a cafe coffee, an artisan blend, McCafe and 7-Eleven.

Dan Stock,
August 11, 2019
Herald Sun

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Melbourne is a city of coffee snobs – right?

But while many Melburnians line up for a “magic” from their favourite bearded barista others are just as happy pop into 7-Eleven for a $1 fix.

The bargain-basement brew – made with freshly ground beans and fresh milk – has developed a cult-like following among budget-conscious drinkers who insist it’s as good as you’d find in many cafes.

From selling an average of seven cups a day a store in 2010, the figure is now more than 400 coffees, with outlets in Melbourne’s CBD averaging more than 600 a day.

In the past 12 months, more than 80 million cups were sold through 7-Eleven nationwide.

General manager of marketing for 7-Eleven Julie Laycock said 1.8 million kilograms of beans from Brazil and India were roasted in Melbourne each year to supply the chain.

“We’re continuing to invest and grow and we’re hoping to get to 100 million cups a year nationally soon,” she said.

It’s not just 7-Eleven that’s a popular spot for grabbing a coffee.

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Founded in Melbourne in 1993, McCafe has grown to become one of the biggest coffee retailers in Australia, with one in 10 McDonalds orders now including coffee.

But in a city as obsessed with their daily flat white, can a convenience store cup of joe really stack up?

The Sunday Herald Sun put a handful of coffees to a blind taste test: a cafe coffee, an artisan blend, McCafe and 7-Eleven.

All coffees were made the same – flat white – and tasted blind. We also added a single-origin black coffee to the mix to see what a $7 coffee tasted like in comparison.

Australian International Coffee Awards head judge Melissa Caia said coffee was assessed on aroma, body, balance, flavour and the combination of coffee with milk.

“It’s all about how well balanced they are,” she said. “But coffee is also a very personal experience.”

Caia, head teacher at William Angliss Coffee Academy, said Melbourne coffee culture had exploded over the past decade and meant every outlet had to be of a certain standard to compete.

“We have great access to awesome cafes. We can go to just about every part of Melbourne and find a specialty cafe that roast their own coffee, purchasing specialty beans. Also consumers are more savvy, more clever, they often make coffee at home so they already know how to make it taste good. They are wanting that from their cafe, or their local store, wherever they are purchasing their coffee,” she said.

For many it’s a ritual and offers a moment’s respite, and that comes at a price much higher than $1.

The average price of $4 for a coffee hasn’t increased in years. But Caia said prices would likely increase for many reasons.

“It’s about making sure the farmers and producers are getting the right money for their products. It’s making sure the roasters can give us a good quality product, but it’s also about the (cafe) staff, paying correct staff wages. It’s all part of the pie.”

Pope Joan owner Dave Mackintosh said the $5 coffee was on the horizon.

“If you look at the experience at Pope Joan, there’s table service, you get water on arrival, and that’s with a $4.50 coffee. People have to understand that cheap coffee comes at a price,” he said.

“I think we’ll have to see $5 coffee in Melbourne soon.”