Back
The Barista titles

Meet Ben of The Grind in Polokwane.

Share Ben’s Story:
Ben Schempers of the Grind in Polokwane.

Ben started The Grind when he needed a break from corporate life. He found a love for coffee and got started with two mobile tuk tuks that drive around town serving up speciality coffee. 

“We’re the best at extracting the best tasing coffee out of beans that we possibly can. We only use coffee that has been specially selected and is the most artisan you possibly can get. I grew up in Polokwane and I know Polokwane doesn’t have much artisan coffee, so that was a clear market to go into. The community is very supportive in terms of starting new projects. They like to boost young entrepreneurs.”

The Grind has now grown and Ben and the team also run a coffee shop attached to a gym. He has dreams to grow the business as far as he can, with operations in different provinces, but acknowledges that the journey isn’t easy.

“To be an entrepreneur you have to take responsibility for literally everything. So if you see an entrepreneur smiling, he is smiling because he sees the product of everything he is doing himself. That guy is tired man, but he’s grafting and he loves what he is doing.”

Share Ben’s Story:

Contributors: Nomathemba Nkosi, Noluthando Pupuma, Vasanthie Naidoo, Faizel Emam, Thobekile Masuku, Michael Smith, Elizabeth Van Der Walt, Solomon Mananga, Willene De Villiers, Louis Petrus Nigrini, Wynand Burger, Gené Strauss, Rudolf du Preez, Ronel Germishuys, Carolyn Malan, Rudolph Dante, Pierre Versfeld, Chantal Bezuidenhuit, Marice Mercuur, Phillip Modiba, Paballo Motsifane, Ben Schempers, Jan Potgieter, Suné Van Jaarsveld, Karen Bezuidenhout, Hendrik Eksteen, Yanick Bathfield, Matthew Brownell, Gregor Rohrig, Robyn Viljoen, Gugulethu Hlekwayo, Lunika Phillip, Caitlyn Leigh and Elton Dick.