About
Our story
About Abantu Coffee
Abantu Coffee, which translates to “The People’s Coffee,” was launched in early 2020 with a vision to provide great quality coffee at a reasonable price while creating as many jobs as possible.
How we started
Built in the open, from scratch
Opening our very first store in September 2020, we set out to build a footprint in Pretoria by creatively utilising open spaces.
We construct movable, container-like structures from scratch that complement their surroundings while delivering a modern, simplistic industrial feel. From those initial roots, we have grown into a highly recognisable specialty coffee brand with a robust corporate and franchise network.
Our philosophy
The People’s Coffee
Our core philosophy is simple: we do not want our people to just make a living; we want them to build their lives. Abantu Coffee was created to make a meaningful difference. For our employees, this means providing sustainable employment and a supportive platform to upskill, grow, and progress both professionally and personally. We operate as a family built on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect, where caring for and protecting our team is paramount.
For our customers, our mission is to make quality coffee, good energy, and exceptional service accessible to everyone. We strive to go the extra mile, keeping our personal touch intact while ensuring that quality and consistency remain absolute non-negotiables.
The team behind the cup
Our Founders
Rassie van der Dussen
As an established international cricketer, Rassie knows firsthand the immense value of hard work and dedication required to reach the top. The exact same drive, discipline, and dedication that took him to the pinnacle of his sporting profession are poured directly into his business pursuits with Abantu Coffee.
Chris Cardoso
With a background in professional coaching, sports management and business, Chris understands the importance of helping people develop their potential. Years of early starts have also given him an appreciation for a great cup of coffee – a fitting foundation for a business built around coffee and people.
Rooted here. Looking forward.
We’re proudly African and proudly South African. We believe in the people, potential and future of our beautiful country, and we want to play our part in building it.
For us, that starts with the choices we make every day: investing in our team, welcoming our communities and making great coffee accessible to anyone and everyone.