Our Story
We’re all about local love, creating family-like connections, and having an absolute HOOT doing what we love!
Little Owl Coffee Roasters is a Perth-based specialty coffee roaster, proudly crafting coffee since 2014. What started as a simple love for good coffee has grown into a roastery built on quality, consistency, and real connections — with the people who grow coffee, the cafés who serve it, and the community who enjoy it every day.
With over 60 years of combined experience, our team brings knowledge, passion, and a touch of obsession to everything we do. From roasting and equipment to café operations, we understand coffee from the ground up — because we’ve lived it.
Founded by Tony Unkovich, Little Owl combines hands-on coffee know-how with sharp business insight. After building a successful automatic coffee machine business, Tony knows what it takes to balance the technical, operational, and flavour sides of the industry.
Joining him is Callan Del Fante, who’s spent years on the front lines of cafés and customer service. With a background in accounting and running his own café, Callan keeps Little Owl customer-focused, practical, and grounded in real-world needs.
Together, their leadership drives everything we do — from sourcing exceptional beans to refining roast profiles, from supporting cafés to serving home brewers. Every blend is crafted with care, designed to taste great, feel good, and bring people together — one cup at a time.
Our Values
We are Value Driven
At Little Owl, we’re about more than just coffee, it’s about doing things the right way.
Respect and inclusivity, honesty and trust, consistency and reliability, these are the values that guide us every day. They shape how we work, how we support our partners, and how we connect with our customers.
Sticking to these values means we’re not just delivering great coffee, but building trust, loyalty, and long-lasting relationships along the way.
Respect & Inclusivity
Respect is a fundamental value that shapes every interaction, both within the team and with customers.
The company fosters a culture of mutual respect, where each team member’s contributions and perspectives are valued.
Team members are encouraged to speak their minds, creating an inclusive and supportive work environment.
This commitment to respect extends to relationships with customers, suppliers and the broader community, ensuring every individual is treated with kindness – treat people how you want to be treated!
Honesty & Trustworthy
Little Owl Coffee Roasters prioritizes transparent communication in delivering what we promise to our customers. This include everything from sourcing beans to pricing and customer service.
We believe that our words and actions must align, and we are committed to being transparent and honest in all our business dealings.
We understand that trust is fundamental to building strong relationships with our customers, and we work hard to earn and maintain that trust by being reliable, transparent, and consistent in everything we do.
Consistency & Reliability
Little Owl Coffee Roasters takes pride in ensuring our product and customer service is absolutely resolute.
This core value is crucial in establishing long-lasting relationships with our customers and partners and is evident in our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality coffee beans, products and barista training consistently.
Our customers can depend on us to deliver what we promise every time, solidifying our reputation for being a reliable partner in their business success.
Our Commitment
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Sustainable & Ethical Sourcing
From the beans we source to the products we have on offer to our suppliers.
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Waste Reduction
We have a reuse and recycle focus when it comes to all waste.
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Efficient Energy Use
We have invested in environmentally friendly roasters that emit 30% less gas emissions than traditional drum roasters.
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Education
We ensure all of our partners receive the training and education required to make that perfect cup.
HACCP
At Little Owl Coffee Roasters, we are proud to be HACCP certified (and have been since 2018), a testament to our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and quality in the coffee roasting industry.
HACCP, or ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points’, is a systematic approach that ensures our processes are designed to identify and mitigate potential risks at every stage of production. This certification not only enhances the safety and quality of our products, but also reinforces our dedication to delivering exceptional coffee that our customers can trust. By adhering to these rigorous standards and annual audit, we ensure that every cup of coffee is not only extremely tasty, but also safe, allowing us to consistently provide a premium product that exceeds expectations.
Ethical Sourcing
We constantly review our supply chain (with our third- party organizations) to ensure that all workers involved in the production of coffee we are purchasing are treated fairly, paid a living wage, and work in safe conditions.
Transparency
We maintain full transparency in our supply chain, conducting regular meetings and discussions with third-party organizations to verify that our suppliers adhere to ethical labour practices.
Empowerment
We support initiatives that empower workers, particularly in coffee-growing regions, which invest in education, healthcare, and community development.
Sustainable Farming Practices
We indirectly partner with coffee growers who use environmentally friendly farming methods (where geographically possible), such as organic farming, agroforestry, and water conservation techniques, to protect natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
Carbon Footprint Reduction
We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by optimizing our roasting processes, using state-of the-art, energy efficient IMF roasting equipment, and actively promoting recycling of our roasting by-product/waste by local community members.
Continuous Improvement
We understand that the journey towards a fully sustainable and slavery-free coffee industry is ongoing. We are dedicated to continually improving our practices, setting higher standards, and working collaboratively with industry partners to create a future where coffee is both ethical and sustainable.
By choosing Little Owl Coffee Roasters, you are not only enjoying exceptional coffee but also supporting a business that values human rights, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.
Together, we can make a difference, one cup at a time.