Bali: ‘Something for everyone & an inclusive nature that welcomes everyone’ 🇮🇩

When I asked Shae Macnamara why, as an Australian, he decided to open a coffee business in Bali, Indonesia, he gave a few reasons: the beaches, the volcanoes, the closeness to origin—much of Expat’s coffee is grown within a short drive of where it’s roasted and brewed. With a background in specialty-grade coffee at large corporations, Shae took his experiences and built Expat. from the ground up beginning in 2016.

Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Bali?

I love checking out the restaurants and bar scene when I can. It’s constantly evolving and definitely a lot of fun. I also enjoy heading down to the beach, usually Berawa or Legian, for a chilled afternoon of local food and a good sunset.

Shae Macnamara founded Expat. Roasters in 2016 in Bali, Indonesia. Photos courtesy of Expat. Roasters

Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?

I would start the day at one of our cafes or one of our wholesale partners for a bunch of coffees. Then depending on the day either one of the beach clubs for the day. KU DE TA is an institution and has always been a favourite of mine and I love how progressive Potato Head is, especially in their commitment to sustainability.

Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city?

Definitely a short boat trip to Nusa Lembogan, it’s absolute paradise over there and only 40 minutes away. Otherwise my favourite part of Bali to escape the hustle is Candi Dasa. Located on the east coast of Bali, it’s still so untouched and offers a real Bali experience.

Filter: What touristy things in Bali are worth the hype?

All of the beach clubs or Warung’s on the beach for a sunset is absolutely worth doing. I also still love going down to Jimbaran for the seafood on the beach. My favourite is Menega Cafe and from about 5pm the whole beach comes to life with seafood being cooked on coals and local vendors selling kites. It’s hard to beat!

Filter: Where are your favorite quiet corners or hidden gems there?

Aside from the beaches I love going to Kintamani which is the main coffee growing region of Bali. Located about 40km north of Seminyak and in the center of Bali, it’s lush and green with lots of mountain/volcano walks on offer. It also gets a lot cooler up there which is nice for a change.

Filter: What's another coffee shop around there that you really admire, and what about them stands out to you?

I make an effort to support all our wholesale partners where I can across all of Indonesia, but in terms of Bali one that stands out is KYND Cafe. I have been privileged to see the success and growth of their brand and the way they have inspired other cafes in Bali, Indonesia, and abroad to create a unique space and stay strong to their brand promises. They are a vegan cafe so they only offer alternative milk which I think is a huge commitment and they have totally mastered it and stayed true to their ethos, regardless of the market.

Filter: What makes Bali feel most like home to you?

I think it’s a combination of living there now for almost 8 years and having the business based out of Bali certainly makes it feel like home. I am also a big believer that it’s the people that make a home and I have met some incredible people there, as well as the Expat. Roasters team that have helped create a sense of home. Bali has something for everyone and an inclusive nature that welcomes everyone. It has the F&B scene of a big city, the chilled vibes of a small island, the atmosphere of a tourist destination, it has adventure and the soul of a spiritual destination.

Filter: How did you end up in the Bali coffee scene?

I am originally from Sydney, Australia with more than 20 years in the coffee industry in Australia and other parts of the world. I have been on the board of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association and have competed in Coffee in Good Spirits (no. 4 in the WCIGS 2016). After spending time in Bali and watching the Indonesian coffee industry grow fast I decided to open Expat. Roasters in 2016 to be part of the dynamic culture and help drive the industry forward.

Along with the speed of change in the market, to set up a cafe and roastery in a coffee-growing nation and island (with specialty coffee growing areas 50km from our roastery) seemed like an amazing opportunity and challenge that I wanted to take on.

Filter: What does your day-to-day look like at Expat. Roasters?

I am in a supporting role for the team here these days. I help to set the priorities, grow the brand, and develop our team. I try to make sure the team stay striving to be better every day and never settle for just good enough.

Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move?

I still think Melbourne is the greatest coffee scene in the world and not for just any particular roaster or cafe but for the amount of delicious coffees that you can drink all over the city in just one day. Even the “big commercial roasters” in Melbourne are operating at a high standard and most are roasting good coffee now to keep relevant which keeps pushing the industry as a whole.

Filter: Anything you’d like to add?

I think it's fair to say that the biggest coffee trend in Indonesia and the most consumed coffee drink is es kopi (ice coffee). In Indonesia there is a huge ice-coffee culture and with the climate, it lends itself to cold beverages so while in Bali (or the greater Indonesia) make sure to try some.

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Expat. Roasters operates 5 locations and a roastery across Indonesia.

Expat. Roasters Head Office and Training Academy

Expat. Roasters Brew Bar

Expat. Roasters Beachwalk

Expat. Roasters Surabaya

Expat. Roasters Jakarta Mori Tower

Food & Beverage

Warung

Menega Cafe

KYND Cafe

Beach clubs