Wellington has bad coffee to thank for kick-starting one of its favourite coffee brands.

Mojo owners Steve and Julie Gianoutsos are celebrating the company's 10th anniversary this month.

The first cafe opened on May 5, 2003, on the corner of Wakefield and Taranaki streets.

The cafe made about 300 coffees a week.

There are now 22 Mojo cafes in Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin, serving more than 55,000 coffees each week.

Mr Gianoutsos said Mojo was born because he was unhappy with the quality of coffee supplied to his cafe in Featherston St.

"I rang my agent and ordered a roaster," he said.

"I then rang the bank manager and asked for some money to pay for the roaster and went home and told my wife [Julie], 'I've bought a roaster'. She said, 'Do you know how to roast?' I said, 'No, but I have six weeks and I have a book'."

The cafe was not the only addition to the Gianoutsos' lives. Their son was born two days before the first cafe opened.

"It wasn't stressful really," Mr Gianoutsos said.

"We've always had a busy life. My son's first stop on the way home from hospital was the cafe. Julie had a coffee and a look around the place. The family has always been a big part of the business."

Mojo imports green beans from the source to its Wellington and Dunedin roasteries.

Coffee is roasted daily and distributed to cafes, restaurants, offices and homes nationwide as well as to Mojo-branded cafes.

Mr Gianoutsos said the reason for the success of the business was his staff.

"Ten years is quite an achievement and it has come around really quickly. We've always had the right people on board to take hold of opportunities. I've always said I'm not in the coffee business, I'm in the people business.

"The cafes are all joint ventures. With every cafe, the partner has worked for the company first, then we give them the opportunity to grow.

"It's a great way to do it because you have the trust and you know how each other works."

Mojo is celebrating its birthday throughout May.

For details of events and competitions, check out mojocoffee.co.nz, or the company's Facebook or Twitter pages.

WHY MOJO?

The Austin Powers saying, "I've lost my mojo", is commonplace today. But the coffee brand was not named as a tribute to the movie character. It was an African- American word, owner Steve Gianoutsos said.

"When young men went through adolescence they were given a mojo pouch. They put in things to ward off bad spirits, for good luck, for libido, for fertility. They never took that pouch off.

"They believed in the pouch so much that if it was stolen or lost they would get sick and die. That's where the phrase, 'losing their mojo', comes from.

"For us, the idea was you come to us, get your mojo, then head off to work."

- The Wellingtonian

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