We started Round Table Roasters with a vision as well as a frustration. We drank these wonderful coffees being sold all over the UK tasting the soil, varietals, and farms of faraway places. Yet we found there was something always missing, people. Coffee is still an incredibly traded commodity, and every time a coffee changes hands from trader, to intermediary, to broker, to importer, to roaster, to shop we lose a little of what makes it interesting, a connection to someone’s life, family’s connection to its land, and culture. We wanted to find a new way of rejoicing what makes coffee beautiful, a connection to somebodies history, dreams, hopes and life. Our coffees aim to celebrate what makes them individual, the people behind them. Be that in retelling their stories or celebrating what good their doing in their environment. We aim for all of our coffees to have some form of certification, but also recognise that certification can be a challenge for some farms in low-income areas. We aim to support these farms in obtaining certification when it is viable for them. Let's celebrate what makes this seed so fantastically unique, by celebrating those involved at every step.
Hi, Matthew here, one half of Round Table Roasters and Holly-Rayne is the other, better half. She introduced me to coffee when we met at University and I soon joined Holly-Rayne in her passion for it. She has loved coffee since she was a babe in arms (I've seen the evidence) and hinted, early on in our relationship, that it would mean a lot to her to have a nice cup of coffee brought to her in bed each morning, just like her dad always had. I figured this was a reasonable request and clear signage to her heart, so I got brewing. I tinkered with machines semi-obsessively to get the best espresso and used trial and error to source the most delicious coffee beans until, in the summer of 2017, a friend suggested we roasted our own beans! Well, that turned our world upside down. We cracked out our trusty cast iron and set off on the next stage of our coffee adventure; exploring and researching the amazing processes that turn the seed of a shrub into the delicious drink we all enjoy. Hundreds of smoky kitchens later, friends of friends and local baristas started to ask for more than their own private stash of our coffee, they suggested we upscale and turn this hobby into a small business. So here we are, roasting the finest, ethically sourced coffee for everyone to enjoy!
We decided to call ourselves Round Table Roasters as we wish to bring everyone (growers, suppliers, roasters and brewers) to the table to enjoy and benefit from their coffee experience in a way that is inclusive and supportive for all.