New Kaikohe café to serve up training opportunities

A café planned for Kaikohe's new community hub will provide more than a place to grab a coffee – local learners will also gain hands-on hospitality experience as part of a new training opportunity.

Local private training establishment, Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha Trust (TKEMKT), is expanding its educational scope. Established by trust deed in 1983, TKEMKT has operated in the Kaikohe community since 1986. The private training establishment provides education, employment and pathway support, alongside other services for whānau and the wider community.

TKEMKT is working in partnership with People Potential and Julie Harris, owner/operator of Café Malaahi, to deliver Level 2 Hospitality training. Trainees will gain practical café experience while working alongside experienced hospitality professionals. The training will include barista skills and practical tasks within the café at the new Kaikohe Library and Civic Hub.

The new hub is being developed by the council on the corner of Broadway and Raihara Street and is due to open on 9 November 2026. The facility will provide under one roof library services, community spaces, learning opportunities and a café.

For TKEMKT, the hospitality training is part of a wider kaupapa focused on creating opportunities for people to gain skills and qualifications without having to leave their community. The Trust's vision is: Just as the kohekohe sustained our tūpuna, we will sustain our future generations. Its priorities are manaaki tāngata and tiaki taiao – caring for people and caring for the environment.

"We are highly driven by our name 'Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha'. We are working hard as a staunch collective of local contributors to create learning opportunities that are specifically designed for our community. Grounding our kaupapa and delivering foundational study options like this is only the start. Our whenua development project at the eastern entrance to Kaikohe will soon provide a training base for higher-level academic programmes," says Chief Executive Officer Moana Timoko.

The Trust is also developing training opportunities in primary industries – horticulture and tourism – working with local organisations and businesses to provide practical learning experiences.

The new café will also provide an opportunity to showcase locally grown kai, with TKEMKT planning for produce grown in Kaikohe and surrounding areas to feature on the café menu. The collaborative working model and combination of formal training and practical experience provides homegrown opportunities for locals to get a taste for working in the hospitality industry while also gaining qualifications.