Our Approach
Relationships matter
Relationships with producers who trust us to represent their work. Relationships with customers who rely on us every day. Relationships with our team, who continue to grow alongside the business. These aren't transactions measured in months—they're partnerships built over years.
We believe the best partnerships are built on trust, honesty and a shared ambition to improve. We solve problems together, learn from one another and look for ways to get better every year. Lasting relationships create better coffee, stronger businesses and a more resilient supply chain.
More than 80% of the coffees we buy come from producers we've worked with before. Returning year after year gives producers greater confidence to plan for the future, while allowing us to build a seasonal coffee menu rooted in quality, consistency and shared progress.
Our buying philosophy goes beyond securing exceptional coffee. We want to understand how coffee is grown, processed and traded, learning alongside producers, importers and sourcing partners to strengthen the future of specialty coffee. It is an ongoing journey, and one we're committed to for the long term.
Hands-On
We're a hands-on business because we believe the best results come from being involved.
Once coffee arrives at our East London roastery, we roast to highlight what makes each coffee unique. We focus on clarity, balance and consistency, ensuring every coffee performs whether it's served as espresso in a busy café, brewed in an office or enjoyed at home.
But great coffee is only part of the experience. Hospitality matters just as much. We work with more than 300 hospitality businesses across the UK and Ireland, from neighbourhood cafés and bakeries to restaurants, hotels, offices and cultural institutions. Every partnership is different, but our aim is always the same: to help people serve exceptional coffee with confidence.
That means providing carefully sourced coffee alongside technical expertise, equipment support, barista training, menu development and honest advice built on more than two decades of experience. We work as an extension of our partners' businesses, celebrating their successes and helping navigate their challenges.
Being independent allows us to make decisions for the long term rather than the next quarter. It also gives us the freedom to stay curious, exploring new ideas through projects like Midnight Oil while continuing to invest in our people, our partners and our communities.
Building a More Resilient Coffee Industry
We believe specialty coffee only succeeds when everyone benefits.
Sustainability isn't a single initiative or certification—it's a chain of decisions. Every choice we make affects the people who grow coffee, the businesses we work with, our own team and the environment. Balancing those priorities isn't always straightforward, but we believe resilience comes from making thoughtful decisions and building partnerships that last.
We're committed to understanding and reducing our environmental impact through annual and real-time carbon reporting, improving our packaging and supporting responsible sourcing. At the same time, we invest in people through training, apprenticeships and career development, while working with organisations such as Well Grounded to create pathways into meaningful careers in specialty coffee.
In 2023, we became a Certified B Corporation, recognising our commitment to balancing purpose with profit. For us, certification isn't the destination—it's another step in building a business that creates lasting value throughout the coffee supply chain.
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