Jojo Krause and Angel Benjamin A strong shot of entrepreneurial spirit

‘There is something special here,’ Angel says of the cafe, with Jojo adding, ‘The potential for growth is a real drawcard and the opportunity to take on an operating, well-functioning business and help the place evolve.’

WHO WE ARE: Jojo Krause and Angel Benjamin A strong shot of entrepreneurial spirit

Sometimes, a business comes along and fits so seamlessly into a community that it’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t there. Such is the case with Goodness Coffee Co, which opened its doors in Aldinga’s Blacksmith Hub in 2017.

The cafe quickly became a communal meeting place, with locals and visitors alike drawn not only to the excellent coffee and snacks, but to the energy and atmosphere. So when the business came up for sale this year, Goodness regulars felt heavily invested in the outcome. As the news leaked out that brother and sister Jojo Krause and Angel Benjamin were to be the new owners, the collective sigh of relief was almost audible.

The enthusiasm with which Jojo and Angel have been embraced can’t be explained away merely by the fact that they’re familiar faces to Goodness patrons – Angel has worked there since 2018, while Jojo joined her at the beginning of this year. Beyond their familiarity with the business, the siblings bring a broad range of experiences to the running of their new acquisition, blending family, community and a strong shot of entrepreneurial spirit into the established business.

Alongside working at Goodness, Angel studies environmental science, volunteers as a park ranger for the Department of Environment & Water and is parent to son Simba, with her husband Chad. She also trains in Olympic lifting: ‘[It] keeps me busy and it’s a great way for me to refresh and stay motivated.’ Meanwhile Jojo, who began his working life at twelve adding corks to the cork wall at Russell’s Pizza in Willunga, started his marquee hire business while studying tourism and event management. Like many, his business was hit hard in 2020, but that business is picking up now as well.

With seemingly already full lives, it’s perhaps a little surprising that the pair took this entrepreneurial leap. In other ways, it was the logical next step. Each of their individual ventures is marked by their shared optimism and personal investment in the future of the region, activated by their persistence and willingness to give things a go. Goodness is just the latest example of this philosophy. ‘There is something special here,’ Angel says of the cafe, with Jojo adding, ‘The potential for growth is a real drawcard and the opportunity to take on an operating, well-functioning business and help the place evolve.’ Discussions ensued with Chad and Jojo’s partner Allira, who are credited as ‘the logical ones’ with whom they can bounce ideas and get an occasional nudge, without any pressure. There’s also the perspective that life can throw at us, whether we want it or not. ‘Dad’s passing four years ago played a big part in the decision to buy into the business,’ Jojo says. ‘Life is short and it’s worth taking a risk.’ Further conversation over the family group chat with mum Louise took the idea from fanciful to financially viable, with Louise offering the siblings a short-term loan and with her loving support, the deal was done.

Previous owners, Carly and Damien Loiterton, are confident that Angel and Jojo will carry Goodness forward from the foundation they created. ‘Earlier this year, we decided it was time for us to refocus on the coffee roasting side of the business and we were thrilled when Angel and Jojo (two of our much-loved employees), expressed an interest in buying the cafe,’ they say. ‘We are so grateful to have been able to hand it over to two brilliant people who we very much admire.’

A smooth transition took place in September, and Angel and Jojo were genuinely surprised by the number of people who came in to wish them all the best and shared in their excitement. The rest of the Goodness team have stayed on to continue working with their new bosses, while Carly and Damien will keep the beans coming. New ideas include long lunches in the garden and maximising the venue’s potential as an arts and cultural hub for private functions, festivals, and other local events.

Indeed, if you’ve visited the cafe recently, you might not have even noticed the subtle differences about the place, and that’s exactly what Jojo and Angel intended. Maybe you’ll catch Louise pottering around (‘She loves gardening,’ says Angel) though the full breadth of her contribution is more behind the scenes, providing financial guidance as well as the accounting necessities like invoicing and pays. ‘Having Mum do the books helps keep us in line,’ says Jojo. ‘Sometimes we can get carried away with ideas and having someone keeping an eye on ins and outs will ensure we are running a tight business.’ Because it is a business, of course, but it’s also a community. ‘Without them it would be totally different,’ says Jojo. ‘Having a strong community makes work so much better.’