About us
ABOUT US
Coffee shack
Since 2000, Coffee Shack has welcomed global travelers to the heart of South Africa’s Wild Coast as a community-driven “home away from home.” Whether you are here to surf, hike, or simply slow down, it is a place where the ocean is your backyard and strangers quickly become lifelong friends.
Coffee Shack
Nestled in the heart of Coffee Bay on South Africa’s legendary Wild Coast, Coffee Shack has been welcoming travellers from all over the world since 2000. We are more than a backpackers; we are a community.
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A place where strangers become friends, where the ocean is your backyard and where the spirit of the Wild Coast gets under your skin and stays there. Whether you are here for the surf, the hikes, the people or simply to slow down, Coffee Shack is your home away from home.
Our Story
Since opening its doors on 8 February 2000, when partners Dave Malherbe, Andre Malherbe and Dan Cornick took on the lease, Coffee Shack has grown into a community-driven landmark now managed by husband and wife Dave and Belinda. A significant milestone in our history is the 40% stake held by the local Tshezi Community Trust, ensuring that the community truly owns a part of the company.
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The buildings that make up Coffee Shack have a history all of their own. Built around 1976 for very different purposes, the bar and kitchen were once stables and milking sheds, the office a spaza shop and the bathrooms sit over what used to be the old chicken run. Before Coffee Shack, the site was home to Coffee Bay Backpackers, a lively and well-loved spot run by five young travellers from Zimbabwe, Ireland, Kenya and South Africa. When it closed in 1999, the location was renovated and Coffee Shack was born.
Strict building regulations within 100 metres of the high tide mark have shaped the eclectic layout you see today. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Coffee Bay & the Wild Coast
Coffee Bay sits on the Wild Coast of South Africa, in the former Transkei, 200km north of East London. The Wild Coast earned its name from sailors in the 1700s and 1800s who considered it one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world. The long list of shipwrecks along this stretch of coast makes for fascinating reading. To this day it remains one of the most beautiful and untouched coastlines on earth, and its remoteness is exactly what keeps it that way.
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The former Transkei has a proud and powerful heritage. It is the birthplace of some of South Africa’s most distinguished leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Govan Mbeki, whose courage and vision helped shape a democratic South Africa. That history runs deep here, and you feel it.
Community & Responsible Tourism
Coffee Shack has always believed that being part of a community means taking responsibility for it. From the very beginning, we have followed the example of our former proprietor Deryk Lang, who was instrumental in building schools and clinics in the area and whose legacy continues to inspire everything we do.
Over the years we have invested significantly in the local community. We built and manage a Montessori nursery school for 60 children and provide scholarships for high school and secondary education. These are not token gestures. They are long-term commitments to the people who make Coffee Bay what it is.
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Since 2005, Coffee Shack has been a pioneering model of responsible tourism, with the local Tshezi Community Trust holding a 40% stake in the business with support from the European Union. Two community members sit on our board of directors, ensuring that the people of Coffee Bay have a genuine voice in how we grow and operate. We are proud to be a business that is genuinely rooted in and accountable to its community.
We are also committed to environmentally responsible practices, protecting the natural beauty of the Wild Coast for generations to come. You can read more about our sustainability efforts in the section below.
The Coffee Shack Crew
The Coffee Shack crew are the heart of everything we do. Day and night, 364 and a half days a year (they take a well-earned rest after breakfast on New Year’s Day!), our team works hard to make sure every guest leaves with a smile. We are known for always being able to make a plan, and we mean that.
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Over 90% of our crew come from the immediate area. We are proud of that. From room attendants who became managers to ex-Coffee Shackers now working in high-level tourism jobs, government departments and running their own businesses, we have always believed that investing in our people is the most important thing we can do.
We also happen to have been the breeding ground for more than a few relationships and families along the way. There are Coffee Shack children running around the world and countless guests and staff who met their person right here in Coffee Bay. That is the kind of place this is.
Come and feel the difference.
Sustainable Coffee Bay
Founded in 2009 as an initiative of Coffee Shack, Sustainable Coffee Bay (SCB) is a registered NGO and Public Benefit Organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty in the Coffee Bay area. By transitioning from a part-time project to an independent body, SCB now manages diverse community development and education programs designed to empower local residents and create sustainable employment.
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Core Initiatives
- Education & Early Childhood Development: The flagship project, Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori (ILM), provides world-class early childhood education to over 60 children in a purpose-built facility established in partnership with the National Development Agency.
- Economic Empowerment: SCB fosters local entrepreneurship, such as “Nancy’s Laundry,” which provides essential services to Coffee Shack while creating local jobs.
- Cultural Integration: Through “Village Overnights,” guests can experience traditional rural Transkei life, supporting local families while learning about Xhosa culture and daily village roles.
- Social Support: The organization assists former migrant mine workers and their families in accessing pension funds, successfully securing over R3 million to support vulnerable community members.
Get Involved
Sustainable Coffee Bay continues to develop new initiatives to improve the futures of the local community. To learn more about their projects or how to contribute, visit Sustainable Coffee Bay.
Our Vision & Ethos
Coffee Shack is built on the belief that travel is best when it brings people together. We create a space where guests from all corners of the world can connect, share stories and feel instantly at home, while respecting the stunning natural environment and vibrant local community that surrounds us.
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We are committed to the growth and empowerment of the people of Coffee Bay. Through meaningful partnerships, skills development, education and a deep respect for the natural heritage of the Wild Coast, we strive to make this corner of the world a better place for everyone who lives here, works here and visits.
Because when the community thrives, Coffee Shack thrives and so does every guest who walks through our doors.
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