Coffee Lab at Ballito's Lifestyle Centre has been awarded the title of best coffee shop in KwaZulu-Natal after winning the Battle of the Beans competition. The judges praised their consistently rich and flavorful coffee, excellent service, and welcoming atmosphere.
Coffee Lab at Ballito 's Lifestyle Centre has been crowned the best coffee shop in KwaZulu-Natal ( KZN ). The accolade comes after the coffee shop emerged victorious in the Battle of the Beans competition, sponsored by sugar producers Selati and run by Coffee Colab, a non-profit organization dedicated to elevating cafe culture.
A panel of 30 judges went undercover, visiting over 250 coffee shops across KZN, evaluating them on various criteria including flavour, appearance, presentation, barista skills, and overall coffee shop ambiance. The competition excluded mainstream restaurants and franchises.Sbusiso Nkolothi, the 37-year-old owner and founder of Coffee Lab, attributes his win to a simple yet powerful philosophy: 'It's all about simplicity and consistency,' he said. Ingrid Shevlin, Co-founder of Coffee Colab, echoed this sentiment, praising Coffee Lab for its consistently rich and flavorful coffee. 'They consistently served richly flavored coffee at the right temperature in the correct size cups with faultless crema in the case of the espresso and perfectly microtextured foam in the case of the cappuccino. In addition, his coffee shop offers a welcoming vibe and excellent, friendly service,' said Shevlin.Nkolothi's journey to success is an inspiring tale of perseverance. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, he moved to South Africa in 2010 seeking employment but unfortunately ended up homeless in Durban for five months. Driven by determination, he landed a restaurant job where his hard work and eagerness to learn quickly set him apart. After gaining valuable experience, he transitioned into the role of a barista, honing his skills until the Covid-19 pandemic led to his retrenchment. Undeterred, he pursued his dream, and by the end of 2020, Coffee Lab opened its doors at The Gallery, inside Ballito Lifestyle Centre. Beyond serving world-class coffee, Nkolothi has used his business as a platform to empower young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with barista training and equipping them with the skills to earn a living. 'You have to study the craft to be the best in it,' he said.The North Coast proved to be a hotbed of exceptional baristas and cafes, with Coffee Lab not being the only high achiever. Skyline Coffee in Salt Rock was named the 2nd runner-up in KZN, and Foam Coffee in Umdloti secured a spot within the top three on the North Coast. Awards were presented to the top three in each region - Greater Durban, Highway, North and South Coasts, and Pietermaritzburg and Midlands - as well as the overall top three. Lineage Coffee in Hillcrest took first runner-up in KZN, while Keagon Chavoos of Crane Flower Coffee in Kloof was crowned the top barista
Coffee Lab Ballito KZN Battle Of The Beans Best Coffee Shop Coffee Culture Barista Skills Disadvantaged Backgrounds Empowerment North Coast
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