Our Story

75 Countries. One Farm.
A Cup That Means Something.

For nearly a decade, Jayson Mathiou worked as a physiotherapist and performance coach to some of the world's best athletes. Among them: Colombian tennis doubles pair Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal — the first Hispanic duo to win Wimbledon, US Open champions, World No. 1, and Olympic quarterfinalists. Seventy-five countries. A career most people would never walk away from.

But working in Colombia changed everything. Jayson spent time on coffee farms in the highlands of Valle del Cauca and saw the gap between what happened at origin and what ended up in a cup back home. The generations of knowledge, the hand-picking at altitude, the sacrifice — all of it blended, commoditised, and forgotten by the time it reached a cafe.

He decided his time was done travelling with athletes. He wanted to come home to Australia and build something that transcended the boundaries of a coffee cup — a company that showcased culture and built community across nations.

"Everything has to have meaning. Otherwise it's simply transactional."

Every bean we sell comes from one estate — Manantiales del Frontino, a 170-hectare farm in Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The name means "flowing springs" — 18 protected natural springs run through the property, providing fresh water for washed coffee processing.

The farm is run by Andres Felipe Londono and Santiago Londono — third-generation coffee farmers whose family has been dedicated to coffee production since 1932. They grow over ten varietals at 1,500 to 2,000 metres above sea level, including Caturra, Castillo, Gesha, Tabi, Maragogipe, and Red Bourbon, surrounded by mist forests and shaded under native canopy.

In 2011, their Gesha was named Coffee of the Year at the SCAA conference. The farm is Rainforest Alliance certified and employs over 200 local workers during harvest. Their Summer Gesha — SCA 90+ — was showcased at the World Barista Championship in Athens.

Willy's Beans holds exclusive Australian representation for this estate. We invest directly — not through a broker, not through a trading desk. When you know the person growing your coffee, you treat it differently. And so do they.

In the early 20th century, the Colombian government imported Willys Jeeps from the United States to help with the coffee harvest. No other vehicle could handle the steep mountain roads, the narrow paths, the weight of the crop. Farmers hauled beans, ploughed fields, and transported supplies through political conflict and natural disasters. The Jeep became a symbol of hard work, resilience, and hope — passed down through generations as family heirlooms.

Walk into our roastery in Burleigh Heads and the first thing you'll see is a signature red Willys Jeep sitting pride of place. It's been modified for coffee on the go. It's not a logo — it's a reminder of where every bag starts, and the people who made it possible.

The beans are hand-picked in Colombia and shipped to our warehouse at 1/4 Ramly Drive, Burleigh Heads — where Jayson grew up. We roast in small batches on a La Marzocco, every week. The walls carry a mural by Colombian artist Jose Daniel Correa from Medellin — a tribute to Colombian coffee culture painted by hand.

Upstairs is Willy's Lab — where we host cupping sessions, private tastings, and tours. Think of it as a cellar door experience for coffee. Open Monday to Friday 6am–12pm, Saturday 7am–12pm. Walk in, watch us roast, taste the coffee, take a bag home.

Jayson's longtime friend Jai Arrow — NRL star and South Sydney Rabbitoh — came to the roastery with the boys from Souths to create something together. They tasted different roast profiles, debated origins, and dialled in the perfect blend. The result: The Arrow Blend — bold tropical notes from Puma Estate meets the sweet structure of Leopard Caturra. A high-performance coffee crafted by athletes who know what precision means. Try The Arrow →

Jayson's first stop coming home to the Gold Coast was always Good Day in Tugun — for a coffee and the avo on toast. When the opportunity to acquire the cafe arose, it felt like a full-circle moment. Today, Good Day Specialty Coffee is the flagship cafe of Willy's Beans — open 5am to 2pm, 365 days a year, one block from Tugun Beach. A friendly place for friendly people. Visit Good Day →

Willy's Beans is not a coffee company. It's a bridge between two worlds — a single farm in the Colombian highlands and the communities we serve across Australia. Every bag carries a story of craft, sustainability, and genuine human connection. We're showcasing culture and building community across nations.

We're not trying to be the biggest. We're trying to be the most transparent, the most intentional, and the most connected to where our coffee actually comes from.