Testing 1, 2, 3... new caffeine hits

Flourish cafe, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

Need a quick caffeine hit? Here are three new ways to get your fix.

Get it fresh

The brand new Flourish cafe is New Zealand's first training cafe for young people with intellectual and learning differences. In the heart of Takapuna, right by Shore City mall, Flourish will give its neuro-diverse trainees experience in all aspects of running a cafe, from the kitchen to front-of-house, and the all-important coffee machine of course. Pop in for a flat white next time you're in the neighbourhood. Open Monday to Friday, 7am- 3.30pm, 19 Como St, Takapuna. projectemploy.nz/the-cafe

Flourish cafe, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

A mellow kick

A hardcore hit of caffeine isn't for everyone. If you like it more mellow – or like me, you want to drink coffee in the afternoon without impacting your sleep – Hummingbird's 50:50 blend is for you. This Christchurch-based company has created a half-and-half blend of their Oomph! and decaf blends, which is all flavour, no jitters. Plus it's sustainably sourced, Fairtrade and organic. hummingbirdcoffee.com

Hummingbird's 50:50 coffee blend. Photo / Supplied

Instant flavour

Juan Valdez is a leading Colombian producer of coffee beans and blends, but it's the freeze-dried range that offers a wide range of flavours (such as mocha and vanilla), and of course convenience. And don't come at us with any instant coffee snobbery – a teaspoon in hot water is the quickest and easiest shortcut for your afternoon coffee cake and your evening espresso martini. This B Corp-certified product is only available in specialty South American stores in New Zealand, so go to nz.juanvaldez.com to find stockists around the country.

Juan Valdez freeze-dried coffee. Photo / Supplied