Axil crowned Australia's favourite coffee – BeanScene

Last updated May 1, 2026

It’s official, Axil Coffee Roasters produces Australia’s favourite coffee – a title it’ll hold for the next 12 months at least.

The well-regarded Melbourne roaster claimed title of Australia’s Favourite Coffee at the recent 2026 Melbourne International Coffee Expo that welcomed more than 14,000 unique visitors. There, attendees could vote on their preferred coffee across the three days.

Axil came out on top, voted by the people as the best coffee of the 36 roasters who showcased their wares at the expo.

Axil Coffee Roasters Founder Dave Makin says winning the award was on Axil’s radar heading into the show.

“We had talked about the award leading into MICE and about how it worked, and we really wanted to put our best foot forward and win it,” says Dave.

“It’s nice to be respected by our industry peers, and at the same time we have some loyal customers who have been coming to Axil for 15 years or more and are a big part of our success today.

“Both things matter, so it’s really pleasing that people voted for us and we came out with a win.”

Axil’s stand was a hive of activity during the show, with attendees waiting patiently to get their fix of the roaster’s range

With the likes of World Barista Champion Jack Simpson and Australian Cup Tasting Champion Karl Lee on hand to guide attendees through Axil’s coffees, Dave says even he was surprised at how many people showed so much interest in the stand.

“We were really busy, straight off the bat,” he says.

“It was great to see so many people there this year. The foot traffic was quite intense across all the days, and our stand was busier that we projected it to be, so we actually had to increase our staffing.”

Dave praised the work of Axil’s Director of Coffee, Matthew Crowley, for his work in bringing together a stand that appealed to so many people at MICE26.

The Axil Coffee Roasters board celebrate being named Australia's favourite coffee. — The Axil Coffee Roasters board celebrate being named Australia’s favourite coffee. Image: Prime Creative Media.

“Matthew has been with us for 15 years now, and a big part of what we did at MICE was him working out what cupping sessions we were going to do each day,” says Dave.

“There are two different clientele that come to MICE, there’s a large element of general public who are looking to drink espresso-based coffee and try some different things, and on the flip side there are industry people who come in looking for filter or high-end coffees.

“Matthew does a lot of work trying to balance that coffee offering and making sure we have a really broad range, which is important when you want to keep everybody happy.”

The accolade of Australia’s Favourite Coffee is another in a long line of industry appreciation for Axil which, over the past 16 years, has gained a reputation as one of the country’s premier independent roasters.

Dave says this latest recognition is a reminder of Axil’s ability to create something all cafés and roasters strive for – consistency in their coffee.

“One of our main internal targets at Axil comes back to that word, ‘consistent’,” says Dave.

“It’s always so nice when someone says Axil is one of the most consistent coffees they have. It’s what we’re looking for, and it’s what we strive for.

“It’s great to have that feedback from people who are buying bags to use in their café or their home, or who are coming into our cafés.

“That consistent level of product and service is our core focus, and this recognition is a really nice acknowledgement of our ability to achieve that.”