Megan Wyper knows a thing or two about good coffee, and plenty about the cups it’s served in. She co-owns Acme alongside business partner Paddy Kennedy, and chances are you’ve spotted their durable porcelain in cafes and homes throughout Aotearoa. These days, wherever you go for your daily caffeine fix, you’ll often find the embossed ‘Acme’ logo on the underside of your mug.
Megan and Paddy took over the business from Wellington coffee alumni Jeff Kennedy and Bridget Dunn in 2022, and have since brought fresh energy to the brand while staying true to its roots. The pair continue to evolve Acme’s signature style, creating pieces that balance form and function. They’ve released tableware – plates, bowls, and cutlery – and introduced new colours with distinctly New Zealand names like Kawakawa and Kōkako 002. It’s Kiwi coffee culture, crafted with intention and celebrated around the world.
We spoke to Megan about Acme’s latest launches, how to dress a table, and what’s next for the brand.
Acme has just released a new colourway, Kōkako 002, in the Roman range, along with the mirror-finish cutlery – congratulations! Tell us about the inspiration behind your new products.
Thank you! We’re really excited about the new colour and the super shiny cutlery! It’s our new version of our original Kōkako blue colour, hence the 002 at the end of the colour name. We found a Crown Lynn plate at an op shop that had a ring of blue. We really loved it and felt it would bring the Kawakawa and Milk Roman colours together. As a nod to the Crown Lynn inspiration, we added the numbers, as they were often used when referencing styles. Since it was the second version of the Kōkako, it felt like a special way to give thanks.
I love how the new polished cutlery looks with the Kōkako 002; it was like we subconsciously had been waiting for the new colour to release a new finish! The new finish is proving just as popular as brushed, which is super cool.
Each of Acme’s colours seems to have a story behind it and feels unique to New Zealand. Yet, we haven’t seen any with a second edition, such as Kōkako 002. How did this come about?
We love Aotearoa and want to show it off to the world, so choosing colours or naming the colours after our backyard feels like an easy way to showcase the beauty of our country. We discontinued the Kōkako original a couple of years ago, but when we found the new version, we had been trying to think of new names for it, and kept coming back to Kōkako. So we decided to pay homage to the original colour and original NZ ceramic masters!
The silly season is fast approaching, meaning meals shared outdoors and the exchange of gifts. Do you have a particular approach to dressing a dining table, and does this change day to day?
I’m very much a ‘use the good stuff’ all the time type person. Don’t save your wares for a special occasion, every day is special! My table settings don’t tend to change depending on the season. I love setting a table with candles, fresh flowers and food in the middle so everyone can help themselves and pass it around, which adds conversation over common ground.
I’m also lucky to have a real mix of different Acme throughout my cupboards, so my table tends to look like the catalogue!
If you were to suggest one piece from Acme as a gift, what would it be?
That’s a tough one… but the Tajimi are a beautiful single gift. It’s a cup that we produce with the Marasa family in Japan; they’re a 3rd generation factory and produce the most beautiful pieces. We now have three styles of these cups, designed for cool drinks – porcelain is perfect for keeping things cooler than glass. It’s the best universal gift, they’re the most beautiful tactile product that once they’re in someone’s hands, you really do just fall in love with them!
What are your favourite trends currently in the homeware space, on the table or throughout the home? Is there anything you’d like to see more of?
Candles on the table every day. We include candles in winter more than summer, but adding them to the table year-round just makes every day feel a little more special. Or small cable-free lamps used instead. We’re not fans of the big light at all, and while the tiny lamp or candle doesn’t add a lot of light, it really adds something special to the room.
And finally, colour. The millennial grey might be behind us, but I’m definitely noticing more bright colours around. At the Maison Objet show, I noticed a lot more colour on display from brands, used in bold colour-blocking ways too. There was a real commitment to colour instead of just accents, which I love!
What’s next for Acme? Are there any new tableware categories you’re excited to explore?
We’re working on building the tableware out. We like our pieces to work hard, made for many jobs, so we’re working on a new product release for mid next year. We tend to release new products mid-year, which is very cool for coffee fans!
Shop Acme’s range of cups, mugs and tableware at their website or follow them on Instagram.
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