Story
Sourcing
Each year we travel across continents, through different countries, meeting generations of farmers in search of incredible coffee. The story behind every cup is unique. We thrive on sharing these stories. Watch our sourcing trip video below.
Blending science and senses, ritual and experimentation. Obsessing over every detail. Roasting lightly. Respecting the beans – and the individuals who savour speciality coffee.
An ardent collective of farmers, pickers, sorters, drivers, rakers, washers, dry millers, cuppers, roasters, trainers, baristas and drinkers. Evolving over many years, countless miles and infinite beans. Each has a different relationship with coffee, but the same goal: to make yours exceptional.
Measuring Up
# 1 in 2019 UK Coffee in Good Spirits (Dan Fellows)
# 1 in 2018 World Coffee in Good Spirits (Dan Fellows)
# 1 in 2018 UK Barista Championships (Joshua Tarlo)
# 1 in 2018 UK Coffee in Good Spirits (Dan Fellows)
# 1 in 2016 UK Barista Championships (Dan Fellows)
# 2 in 2015 UK Coffee in Good Spirits (Dan Fellows)
# 2 in 2015 UK Brewers Cup (Joshua Tarlo)
# 1 in 2012 UK Coffee in Good Spirits (Dan Fellows)
Travel
Eye contact, handshakes and bumpy jeep rides through the mist. Good coffee depends on good relationships. Which means being on the ground.
Our approach to coffee sourcing is through direct trade, a philosophy and ethical practice true to speciality coffee.
Through our direct trade practice we're able to support our farm and mill partners directly, giving our drinkers full traceability of the coffee in their cup. When we direct trade we pay at least 50% over and above Fairtrade prices, without exception. We visit the farmers or mill representatives at least once a year - in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Brazil - we ask questions and we listen. To the farmers, to the workers, and to their families. Our partners are committed to environmentally and socially sustainable practices. We know this because we see it with our own eyes.
The stories behind each cup stretch across continents and through generations of expertise. It's our responsibility to share those stories with the drinker.
“You don’t look at throwing out coffee or spilling beans in the same way when you’ve met the people who individually picked the coffee. The people who raked the submerged coffee with heavy wooden tools to free it of its pulp, the people who stood over the coffee in the hot Ethiopian sun to select which beans made the cut and which didn’t.”
– Joshua Tarlo, Head of Coffee
Roasting
Powered by the perfect blend of passion, precision, curiosity and caffeine, the Origin Roastery is where knowledge and instinct unite.
Breathing in the grassy aromas as each carefully-sourced sack of green beans is first opened. Constantly monitoring the controlled atmosphere and consistent roasting capability of our two Loring Smart roasters. Checking colour, form and smell as the coffee beans develop. Diligently tasting each roast, over a number of days, to hit the perfect flavour note. It’s a complex process with infinite variables, but one thing is always the same: the relentless pursuit of quality dominates every stage. Bringing out the best of each coffee bean is as much about harnessing our senses, as it is using the best engineering and equipment. We pour our all into both, to create a cup that will exceed your expectations.