Catching up with: Mirela Martinescu

Mirela Martinescu says her $2.50 coffee shop model has struck a chord with customers. Photo / Greg Bowker

She brought affordable, ethical coffee to the city mocked for its love of lattes and the associated Sky Tower-high pricetags.

Now, Mirela Martinescu's $2.50 coffee chain is planning its third coffee kiosk for Auckland and will soon embark on national expansion.

Ms Martinescu, an engineer by trade, opened the first Coffix on Karangahape Rd in May and the second on the corner of Victoria and Elliott Sts in the central city a month later.

"We were the first to rent a container at this site," she said.

"Wilson Parking couldn't get anyone to rent them, and we've brought the entire area to life. Our operation brought lots of people to the area and this in turn has attracted other retails - there is a really nice thriving village atmosphere there now."

This year, entertainment and hospitality hub Britomart will be home to the third of the growing chain that Ms Martinescu hopes will soon become nationwide. The new kiosk will be on Scene Lane near Countdown Auckland City.

"It's been an incredible year. I have had a lot of requests to open something up and down the country.

"The results have just been overwhelming, there's obviously a need for what we have been doing in the market."

The $2.50 venture - which doesn't charge extra for soy milk or flavour syrups and also stocks baked goods for the same price - created public debate about how much consumers should be forking out for coffee.

"Sometimes it is portrayed as if we are at war with the cafes and coffee industry, but it's not quite like that - everyone has unique points of difference and our focus has been on takeaway only.

"If someone wants to sit down and have a meeting they won't come to us. But if you want to have a good, affordable coffee, they come to us."

The model was also criticised as being unsustainable, but Ms Martinescu said she has proved that wrong, too.

"It's coming up to a year down the track now and we have three branches. If it wasn't sustainable we wouldn't be where we are and as sustainable as we are.

"We are just starting to scratch the surface, particularly with looking at different centres where it could expand."