Use what already exists.
Upcycling coffee grounds is the starting point of the project, not an afterthought added at the end.
Untouched began with two coffee lovers, a familiar café ritual, and a question about what happens after the last cup is poured.
We were always looking for the next good cup. Then we started noticing what was left behind.
Ash and Avelyn have always loved coffee. Weekends often meant wandering across town, finding a new café, trying another roast and adding another favourite place to the list. Coffee was never just a drink; it was a small ritual they shared.
Over time, they began noticing the same thing at cafés: after the rush, large amounts of spent coffee grounds were being cleared away at the end of the day. Something that had taken time to source, roast and brew suddenly had no further use.
The idea for Untouched began there. They collected small amounts of spent grounds and started experimenting, asking whether that familiar coffee texture could be transformed into body care instead of simply becoming waste.
The early batches were messy, imperfect and useful. Different ratios, oils, butters, exfoliants and textures were tested again and again. For more than three months, Ash and Avelyn worked through multiple formulations, keeping what felt right and changing what did not.
Eventually, those trials became three distinct formulations: Mamaku, Coffee and Cedarwood. With the products taking shape, they began approaching café owners and talking about collecting spent grounds so the idea could grow into a genuine local upcycling loop.
Now Untouched is nearly ready for launch. Customer sample testing has begun, and the feedback from those first jars is helping shape the final products before orders open.
Locally made. Kiwi owned. Built from a love of coffee, curiosity, and the belief that what is left behind can still become something worth keeping.
Upcycling coffee grounds is the starting point of the project, not an afterthought added at the end.
Testing has shaped the formulations from the beginning, and customer feedback is part of the final step before launch.
Untouched is Kiwi owned and Auckland based, with a growing focus on local café relationships and small-batch production.
We are currently in our sample-testing stage. Once that round is complete and the final details are refined, Untouched will open for orders.
Tester feedback