Guys! Small coffee machines need love and servicing too! They can even be fixed, and you can buy them secondhand! The Petaling Bean roast great coffee, but they have also unlocked a role as domestic machine geniuses. Restoring equipment, recycling parts and maintaining the home coffee machine you love, is where they shine!
First of all please tell us a little about yourself and how your business started?
We’re The Petaling Bean, co-founded by Robert Hunter and Lucricia de Wit. Born out of a serious love affair with coffee, nature, and (slightly obsessive) dedication to helping people enjoy really good coffee.
Like many great stories, ours started in a garage. In the early days, this wasn’t a polished operation with fancy workshops and business hours. We were repairing coffee machines from 8pm at night until 3am most mornings, fuelled almost entirely by determination, caffeine, and the occasional “What are we actually doing right now?” moment. What started as passion quickly became purpose. We officially launched in 2022 with one simple goal: to provide incredible coffee, honest service, and keep South Africa’s coffee flowing… because a broken coffee machine can feel like a genuine crisis.Today, we’re proud to say we’ve grown from garage nights to two branches, one in Centurion and one in Brackenfell, while still keeping that same hands-on passion that got us started.
You keep it simple with your range of coffees, tell us about The Petaling Bean Signature Blend and what people can expect when they taste it.
We believe coffee doesn’t need to be complicated to be amazing. Our Signature Blend is smooth, balanced, and approachable - the kind of coffee that makes you stop mid-sip and think, “Okay… this is dangerously good.” Expect rich flavour, beautiful aromas, and a cup that feels right at home whether you’re starting your workday, catching up with friends, or pretending your kitchen is your favourite coffee shop.
You fulfil a HUGE necessity in the coffee market: fixing coffee machines big or small! Tell us how you got into this side of the business and how successful it has been? How big is your team?
Let’s be honest, somebody had to become South Africa’s unofficial coffee machine rescue team.
The repair side of the business grew naturally from our love for coffee. We saw a huge gap in the market for reliable, honest repairs and servicing, especially for domestic coffee machines, which remains our main focus. We absolutely love helping coffee lovers get their home espresso setup back to its best because we know how important that daily cup really is.
What began in the garage, fixing machines after hours, quickly turned into a major part of the business. Word spread, customers trusted us, and before we knew it, we were helping homes, offices, coffee shops, and cafés keep their caffeine dreams alive.
Today, our Centurion (GP) branch has a team of 6 amazing members, while our Brackenfell (WP) branch has a strong team of 3… all equally passionate about coffee and solving coffee machine drama before it becomes a full-blown emergency.
Please also tell our readers what types of machines you specialise in maintaining and repairing?
If it makes coffee, there’s a very good chance we’ve repaired it!
Our main focus is domestic coffee machines, but we also work on commercial equipment when needed. We specialise in maintaining and repairing brands like Breville, Jura, De'Longhi, and so much more. From home espresso machines and bean-to-cup systems to grinders and hardworking café equipment, we love bringing coffee machines back to life, because nobody deserves to face a morning without coffee.
What is the one piece of maintenance advice you would give to anybody that has a home espresso machine?
Please… for the love of coffee… clean your machine!!!
The best piece of advice we can give is simple: keep your machine clean. Regularly cleaning your machine, purging after every use, and descaling when it asks you to, can make a world of difference to both performance and lifespan.
We also recommend giving your machine a proper service every 6 to 12 months to keep everything running smoothly. We always say: “Look after your machine, and it will look after you.”
What is your favourite part about being in the coffee industry?
Community! Community! Community!
Coffee brings people together in such a special way. Big meetings happen over coffee, friendships grow over coffee, a long ride ends with coffee, and some days are genuinely saved by coffee. We also love that no two days are the same. One day we’re playing around on a tiny roaster or helping customers find their favourite blend, the next day we’re elbow-deep inside a machine bringing it back from the dead.
And outside of coffee? We’re big cycling enthusiasts. We love the outdoors, adventure, and the freedom that comes with being on two wheels. There’s something about cycling and coffee that just makes sense, early mornings, fresh air, and that well-earned coffee stop afterwards.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
At The Petaling Bean, we believe good coffee should never feel intimidating. Whether you’re a coffee expert or someone who just wants a really great cup, we’re here for it.
We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come… from late-night garage repairs to two branches and an amazing team… but at heart, we’re still just passionate coffee people who love helping others enjoy better coffee. While there’s always more to learn and room to grow, we’re excited for the journey ahead. And if your coffee machine suddenly stops working… don’t panic. We’ve probably seen worse!
