The House of Robert Timms, commonly referred to as Robert Timms, is an Australian coffee company with roots extending back to the first half of the 20th century. The brand is recognised for its locally roasted coffee, coffee bags, instant coffee, and roasted-and-ground varieties, positioning itself as one of Australia’s earliest coffee enterprises.1 Currently, the production and marketing of Robert Timms coffee are managed by FreshFood Services Pty Ltd, which operates out of Concord, New South Wales.1

The company’s history is deeply intertwined with Robert Timms Jnr, a businessman who transformed the firm from a tea and grocery operation into a major privately owned entity in the Australian tea and coffee sector. During its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, Robert Timms became a significant force in the local market, introducing innovative methods for consumers to purchase and prepare fresh coffee.12 Today, the brand emphasises quality, freshness, local roasting, and convenient brewing formats, offering a range that includes espresso beans, instant coffee, and individually packaged coffee bags.1

Origins: Robert Timms Senior

The narrative begins with Robert Timms Senior, who emigrated from England to Australia in the late 19th century. He initially worked at the Australian Post Office before joining the Melbourne-based grocery company Moran & Cato. Through his career, he rose through the ranks to become the general manager of the organisation.1

His son, Robert Timms Jnr, was born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1908. At the age of 15, Robert Jnr began working as a grocery apprentice at Moran & Cato. He later transitioned into sales, where he demonstrated a particular aptitude for selling tea and coffee. Historical accounts suggest that his success in sales commissions eventually made him the company’s highest-paid employee.12

Establishment of the Coffee Business

Following his father’s retirement, Robert Timms Jnr left Moran & Cato to join the Associated Tea Company. Over time, the business shifted its focus increasingly toward coffee, a trend accelerated by the onset of World War II. When the war began in 1939, demand for fresh coffee surged, driven by both Australian and American military personnel. To maintain supply levels, Robert Timms and his employees reportedly worked extremely long hours. During this period, Timms established what the company describes as Australia’s first automated fresh-coffee production line.12 This experience helped solidify Robert Timms’ status as an important producer in the Australian coffee industry.

Post-War Expansion

After the war, Robert Timms Jnr concentrated more on coffee than on tea. The arrival of large numbers of European migrants also influenced the company’s strategy, as coffee was already a staple of daily life in many European cultures. Recognising an opportunity to make fresh coffee more accessible to Australian consumers, the company adapted its approach.1 In 1951, the business officially adopted the Robert Timms name and expanded from its Victorian origins into a national operation. Consequently, the modern brand traces its coffee-roasting heritage to this era.2

Royal Blend and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics

A notable episode in the company’s history occurred in the 1950s. In 1954, Ansett commissioned Robert Timms to develop a special coffee blend and equipment for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Australia. The resulting product became known as the Royal Special Blend, later generally referred to as the Royal Blend. The company cites it as one of its most enduring blends.1 Two years later, in 1956, Robert Timms served as the official coffee supplier to the Melbourne Olympic Games, further reinforcing its reputation as a leading Australian coffee business.12

Supermarket Innovation

Robert Timms was an early innovator in the Australian supermarket coffee market. During the 1950s, the company introduced self-service coffee grinders into supermarkets. This allowed consumers to select whole beans and have them ground at the point of purchase, rather than simply buying pre-ground coffee. This innovation brought the aroma and experience of freshly ground coffee into mainstream grocery shopping, coinciding with a rapid change in Australian coffee culture and the growing centrality of supermarket shopping in everyday life.12

New Guinea Gold

Impressed by the region’s coffee quality, he became involved in the export of green coffee beans from New Guinea. He subsequently developed New Guinea Gold, described by the company as its first gourmet soluble coffee. This product became one of the brand’s best-known offerings.1 Robert Timms also exported soluble New Guinea Gold to markets including the United States and Europe. Historical records indicate that Robert Timms Jnr received a Gold Medal Export Award from Australia’s Department of Trade for these export activities.2

Peak of the Company

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Robert Timms had grown into one of Australia’s most important privately owned tea and coffee companies. The company’s official history states that by the 1970s, it was Australia’s largest privately owned tea and coffee company, claiming more than 75% of the pure coffee market.1 The business evolved beyond simple coffee roasting into a major consumer brand involved in:

• Roasted and ground coffee
• Soluble/instant coffee
• Tea
• Coffee distribution
• Coffee equipment
• Supermarket sales
• Institutional and hospitality supply

During this period, Robert Timms also became associated with innovations in coffee packaging, production, and retailing.1

The company subsequently entered a period of corporate ownership and consolidation. During the 1980s, the business became part of Unilever, which had acquired significant interests in Australia’s tea and coffee industry. Unilever consolidated its coffee operations and invested in coffee-processing technology.12

In April 1998, FreshFood Holdings Pty Ltd purchased Unilever’s coffee business in Australasia. The acquisition included the Concord site and several established Australian coffee brands, such as Robert Timms and Bushells.1 FreshFood continues to operate Robert Timms today. The brand’s current contact information identifies FreshFood Services Pty Ltd at 160 Burwood Road, Concord, NSW 2137.1

The Concord Connection

The modern Robert Timms brand is closely associated with coffee production in Concord, New South Wales. The company’s website describes its coffee as being locally roasted in Australia, with roasts personally tasted before packaging. FreshFood identifies Robert Timms as one of its principal coffee brands.12 The Concord location holds historical significance in Australia’s coffee industry, having been associated with several major tea and coffee businesses over the decades.

Brand Evolution

In the 21st century, Robert Timms has repositioned itself as a heritage Australian coffee brand while continuing to introduce new formats. The company highlights more than 70 years of coffee heritage, emphasising locally roasted coffee, freshness, and premium taste.1 In 2017, the company promoted the broader concept of the “House of Robert Timms”, highlighting its presence in supermarkets, independent retailers, and online channels.1 A visual refresh occurred in 2019, updating the logo and coffee-bag packaging.1 In 2023, the brand expanded its coffee-bag range with flavour-infused coffee bags, introducing Caramel, Vanilla, and Hazelnut varieties.1

Product Portfolio

Today, Robert Timms’ product portfolio is broadly divided into three categories:1

Coffee Bags

Coffee bags are among the brand’s most recognisable modern products. Designed to provide brewed coffee without requiring an espresso machine, plunger, or other specialised equipment, these individual sealed bags can be steeped directly in a cup. They combine the convenience of tea bags with roast-and-ground coffee. The range includes traditional blends and newer flavoured varieties such as Caramel, Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Intense.12

Coffee Beans

Robert Timms sells roasted whole coffee beans, particularly espresso-oriented products. The company emphasises the use of blends containing different coffee varieties and prioritises roasting and freshness.12

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee remains a key part of the brand’s history, dating back to products like New Guinea Gold. The modern range includes premium granulated and freeze-dried instant coffees in various flavour profiles.3

Coffee Philosophy

The philosophy attributed to Robert Timms Jnr was based on three core principles:1

1. Sell a quality product
2. Provide first-class service at a fair price
3. Give value for money

These principles are presented by the company as central to the founder’s business approach, helping to explain the brand’s historical focus on making relatively premium coffee accessible through supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, and other everyday channels.1

Position in Australian Coffee Culture

Robert Timms occupies a distinct position in Australian coffee history. Unlike many contemporary specialty coffee companies that emerged during Australia’s modern espresso boom, Robert Timms developed during an earlier period when fresh roast-and-ground coffee was still becoming established as a mainstream product. Its history spans several major changes in Australian coffee consumption: from a tea-dominated Australia to post-war fresh coffee, supermarket grinding, instant coffee, espresso culture, and convenient coffee bags. As such, the company represents one of the older surviving Australian coffee brands and contributed to the transition from traditional tea consumption toward the stronger coffee culture seen in Australia today.1

Brand Identity

The brand’s identity is built around several themes:1

• Australian heritage: Emphasising its long history in Australian coffee.
• Freshness: Achieved through local roasting and packaging.
• Premium positioning: Presenting coffees as higher-quality everyday products.
• Convenience: Particularly through coffee bags and instant coffee.
• Tradition and innovation: Combining historic blends and methods with newer products.
• Hospitality: Supplying hotels, restaurants, cafés, and other businesses as well as consumers.

Business and Hospitality Market

Robert Timms operates not only as a supermarket consumer brand but also in the business-to-business coffee market, supplying hotels, restaurants, hospitals, cafés, and other organisations. Its business-solutions division offers coffee products and equipment alongside ordering and service support. The company states that it has supplied businesses with coffee for more than 60 years, making it both a consumer packaged-coffee brand and a commercial coffee supplier.1

Robert Timms’ historical significance lies largely in its role in making fresh coffee more accessible to ordinary Australian consumers. Robert Timms Jnr’s career coincided with a fundamental shift in Australian food and beverage culture. His company helped popularise fresh coffee through supermarket grinding, developed major Australian coffee blends, supplied national events, and expanded coffee availability beyond cafés and restaurants. The brand’s history illustrates the broader evolution of Australia’s coffee industry—from small family and privately owned businesses to large corporate ownership, and eventually back to an Australian-owned food company. Today, Robert Timms remains an example of Australian coffee heritage, with a history stretching from the early 20th century into the current supermarket and specialty-style coffee market.12

1. Our Story | Robert Timms
2. Robert Timms
3. Sum Siam Corporation Limited