Quality has always been of the utmost importance for us. Everything we do is measured against the quality of our coffee.

For us, quality begins at the source. All of our coffee is sourced through long-established relationships with individual coffee farms, cooperatives and trusted coffee partners. 

This approach to trading has been an integral part of our ethos since the early days of our business. Our founder, Harold Higgins, established direct contact with farmers in Tanzania in the 1950s, becoming the first British coffee roaster to buy from source, rather than through an intermediary, in a relationship that continues to this day.

In many cases, we have direct relationships with farmers which span over decades, and we deeply value our connections with our suppliers, both old and new.

Sustainability is a hugely important factor to us as a business and now, more generally in the wider coffee industry. The most important part of the entire coffee process is that the coffee farmers, their families and their communities all benefit from our relationships. Specifically, we work with farms that care for the local environment, and support both their workers and their families. This is the first and most crucial step in the process of producing exceptional coffee.

As a company, we ensure ethical sourcing by only purchasing from companies with ethical business policies. Particularly in regard to coffee and tea purchasing where we actively pursue buying from fully traceable and sustainable resources either through certifications such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance, or from specific estates and co-operatives.

More generally, we recognise that our company have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment and reduce our carbon footprint.

Our purpose built roasting and dispatch facility has been designed to help us in this mission.

Wherever possible, we source materials locally with a focus on small business.

Our packaging materials are kept to a minimum and we are constantly reviewing and working to provide the most environmentally friendly options. Most recently, we have introduced our new postal bags which are fully recyclable.