Hugh Jackman has opened up about the lucrative coffee empire he’s been quietly building which mixes Australia’s “arrogant” coffee culture with charity.

New documentary Dukale’s Dream follows the story of Jackman’s ‘Laughing Man’ coffee, which raises funds for his education and entrepreneurship foundation in Africa.

Dukale’s Dream is named in honour of Dukale, the Ethiopian coffee farmer who inspired the venture.

• Flat white conquers the world
• Great Barrier Reef ‘in danger’, lawyers warn
• Russell Brand’s awkward Fifi Box baby joke

Jackman, a self-confessed “coffee snob”, has been selling his brew for the past few years at his cafe in New York and more recently in instant machine pod form.

“I’m Australian—we love our coffee and we’re a little arrogant about it,” Jackman told TIME.

Jackman and Dukale together at the coffee farm in Ethiopia. Photo: Supplied

“People approach you: ‘You could be an ambassador! You could be a patron! You could do this!’

“We buy from Dukale and his beans are in our cafe right now in Tribeca. We make sure he gets a great price, and also you can provide jobs.

“That’s why I love this project in particular. So in a way it’s advocacy, and it’s also entrepreneurism and that’s something we would like to foster more of.”

All the money from his cafe, coffee pods and documentary will move through his foundation to support African people in business ventures and education.

The X-Men and Les Miserables star also said as an actor he isn’t really used to hard work.

He explained that when he met Dukale – who would laugh at Jackman’s language struggles in Ethiopia – he felt an instant connection.

The launch of the documentary telling the story of Jackman and Dukale’s six-year collaboration is available to watch in the United States but an Australian release date is still to be announced.