MASERU – A unique coffee shop deep in Thetsane West in Maseru. This is not just a regular coffee shop; it is a specialty coffee shop that also offers Neapolitan style pizza.
That is where the uniqueness comes in.
It is owned by Sehlabaka Rampeta and Lebohang Moiloa, two friends who studied different courses but were brought together by a common love – love of coffee and pizza.
The shop has been operating since May this year.
“I do not know what coffee did to Sehlabaka but he is always on coffee and he makes the best sour-dough bread I have ever tasted,” Moiloa said.
“So, we decided that since we already had an idea why not turn it into a business?” he said.
They said that the way they make their pizza is different from how everyone does their pizza.
“We probably do the quickest pizza in the country, our pizza is ready within six minutes from when the customer orders, it is out, fresh, delicious and arguably the best pizza in the country,” Moiloa said.
They said they are very particular about their toppings, they do not just marsh in things and call it pizza but they make sure that the added toppings complement each other.
The two said people may think they want to sound fancy by saying they serve specialty coffee.
They indeed sell specialty coffee because their aim is not just to sell but to also open an educational space for people who are interested in coffee.
“Not that we want to sound fancy or anything but we are so far the only specialty coffee spot in town and we do not just sell coffee but we want to establish a sort of an educational hub for people who are interested in coffee, that is why we have picked specialty coffee”, said Moiloa.
They said that people could go online and check what specialty coffee is then come for tasting and sample what they have.
Several online sources define specialty coffee as a term for the highest grade of coffee available, typically relating to the entire supply chain, using single origin or single estate coffee.
The term was first used in 1974 by Erna Knutsen in an issue of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
All around the world, Knutsen (1021 – 2018) is known as the godmother of specialty coffee.
She was the first to give a name to the Specialty Coffee Association movement, coining the term “specialty coffee” itself, and she ceaselessly advocated for the values of quality, identity, and distinction in coffee.
Sehlabaka said that primarily they serve the Thetsane West community but their target market is everyone who is interested in coffee, who likes trying out new things and “people who have curious palates”.
“We are a pretty open space, we are a pretty an inclusive space, everyone is welcome”, said the two owners.
The two owners said they are working on being an open space for local artistes and youths to showcase their talent and also create space for exhibitions while people have specialty coffee and Neapolitan pizza.
“We want to create a healthy and welcoming environment for everyone because the support we have received so far has been amazing and we are learning every day,” said Sehlabaka.
Tholoana Lesenya