A Century of South African Coffee
Founded in 1924, Mastertons Coffee & Tea is South Africa's oldest coffee roastery — over a century of continuous operation from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape. While the specialty world chases the latest micro-lot and experimental process, Mastertons represents something different: heritage, consistency, and the kind of institutional memory that only a hundred years of roasting can build.
Their Probat roaster and Swiss Ditting grinders are the workhorses behind blends that have been refined across generations. Staff like Nandi and Cabo carry the warmth and knowledge that make a visit to 92 Main Road, Walmer feel like stepping into living coffee history.
Inside the Roastery
The Heritage Blends
Mastertons' strength lies in their signature blends — recipes refined over decades, each with a story tied to the roastery's century-long journey.
Blend 97
Heritage Classic
A flagship blend that's been a Mastertons staple for years. Smooth, balanced, and built for everyday drinking — the kind of coffee that turns first-timers into regulars.
Blend 1388
Bold & Full-Bodied
For those who like their coffee with presence. A darker, richer blend with the kind of body that stands up to milk or punches through black.
Blend of the Bay
Regional Character
Named for Algoa Bay, this blend captures the coastal character of Gqeberha — smooth, aromatic, and unmistakably local.
Centenary Blend
100-Year Celebration
Created to mark a full century of roasting. A commemorative blend that bridges Mastertons' past and present.
🦏 The Chipembere Blend
More than just coffee — the Chipembere blend supports rhino conservation efforts. It's a smooth, well-rounded cup with a charitable heart, and one of the more meaningful "cause coffees" in the SA market. Named after the Shona word for rhinoceros.
Single Origins
Beyond the heritage blends, Mastertons stocks a rotating selection of single origins — a nod to the specialty side of the market.
Nicaragua
Bright and citrusy with a clean finish.
Uganda
Chocolatey and earthy with full body.
Guatemala
Nutty and sweet with chocolate undertones.
The Equipment
Mastertons roasts on a heritage Probat roaster — the same German engineering trusted by roasteries worldwide. Their Swiss Ditting grinders handle the precision grinding that their blends demand. It's not flashy kit, but it's the right kit — built to last and refined through a hundred years of daily use.
Visit Mastertons
92 Main Road, Walmer, Gqeberha 6070
📖 First-hand story — Read Bibi's full Mastertons café review →
Trust & Transparency
Every roaster in our directory is scored on four factual criteria — roast-date stamping, origin transparency, SCA score reporting, and sustainability certifications — plus community votes.