I told you earlier about Rounton Coffee Roasters’ efforts to help to make sure the NHS in their  locality  (and wider afield) have access to coffee in their staffrooms. Time now to meet the two eager beavers behind this brilliant entrepreneurial and community minded company.

Dave Beattie – aka Beats:

The founder and driving force, David started as an engineer in chemical processing. By the age of 30 he was running an industrial gasses site on Teesside until a sabbatical seemed like a good idea. So off he went – as yer do –  traveling the world on a train.  After rumbling  through Europe, Russia and Mongolia,  he headed south towards Sumatra.

It is at this point  he had his ‘Eureka’ moment. But why?

Beats found himself working alongside  passionate Sumatran coffee farmers, who shared their frustrations at the limitations in the way their carefully nurtured beans were sold and handled. As he worked with them David realised he was not just happy, but enthused. On his return to North Yorkshire, Rounton Coffee Roasters was born  and four years on David’s focus is to make sure that the transparency, traceability and quality of the coffee, and other products, is at the heart of what they do.

Dave Beattie says: ‘Here at Rounton Coffee Roasters we understand that working with quality focused suppliers is paramount to running a successful business. That’s why we pride ourselves on being able to source and provide only the highest quality speciality coffees that are freshly roasted in small batches, using specialised software that creates consistent flavour profiles every time. We take a highly engaged approach to our wholesale relationships and invest time and expertise to make sure the coffee offerings for each business is only the best.’

But could he do all he wanted to do  on his own? Roll of drums…  Enter stage left :

David Burts. Head of Coffeer, green bean buyer, and whistling fixer of all things at the Coffee Roasters.

Roasty Burts lives to source and roast the finest speciality coffee he can get his hands on,  working tirelessly: analysing, researching and profiling every coffee that comes through Rounton Coffee Roasters door.  David joined Rounton Coffee Roasters in its infancy leaving a job in education to make it his mission to promote ethical and sustainable trading in the coffee producing world. His mantra is ‘’only positive vibes allowed’’ and is ‘that guy’ who is always a little too chirpy on a morning; but they wouldn’t change that… Not even the whistling.

The guys have an amazing range of coffees you can buy from their stores, or they will deliver. Each blend comes with a description, but not just of the flavour but of the source. As an example, let’s take a look at the Daybreak coffee blend notes to see how easy it is to choose which coffee to buy:

The Daybreak Blend.

Coffee lovers will know that Central and South American coffees make up the backbone of any great blend. Their deep chocolate notes punch through, making them a great choice with or without milk.

Up front, Daybreak blend ticks all the boxes: it’s moreish and satisfying, with just the right amount of body. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a pairing of coffees that we have spent countless hours working on, each bringing their own nuances to the table. With Daybreak, we want to show that exclusive, specialty coffees can (and should) be your go-to, even if you’re just looking for ‘a proper cup of coffee’.

50% Peru – Hilda Bermeo Guevara.  Hilda Bermeo Guevara’s farm is situated in the Northern Highlands of the Andes. A combination of washed Caturra, Pache, Bourbon and Catimor, this coffee has sweet pear notes and a full, rich body. Hilda’s coffee is part of a new age of coffee sourcing in Peru, where farmers are able to trade their lots more directly than ever before, with extra traceability.

50% Nicaragua – Las Naranjas. A washed Caturra from Ana and Martha Albir’s 8 hectare farm in North-Western Nicaragua.  A delicious coffee in its own right, with rich toffee and chocolate notes.

But … coffee is not the only product Rounton Roasters source and sell.

Tom Keavney, Training and Marketing: thinks you should also look at: Hot chocolate : Collection Venesuiela Smooth 58%

Venezuela is a light hot chocolate with 58 per cent cocoa, light and sweet with fruity notes. Sourced from the regions Sucre, Sur de Lago and Barlowento, this Venezuelan cocoa used are a mix of the two varieties criollo and trinitario beans. Academy of Chocolate, Bronze Award winner for a delicious flavour that was recognised with a Silver Award by the Academy of Chocolate.

Hey, says Guy Snead, Head Roaster: then there are the teas, lots of ’em.

 

Loose Leaf Silky Pyramids- Earl Grey tea is an example.

The Harrington Tea Garden is situated in the Dimbula mountains of Sri Lanka and all the tea that grows there is organic. This fine and flavoursome black tea is infused with extracts of bergamot to create a zesty and satisfying cup of Earl Grey tea.  Ingredients: Black Ceylon tea, marigold blossoms*, natural bergamot. *Certified organic.

Here at Chez Graham, we have just ordered our usual decaff coffee plus a sample pack of 3 coffees: Granary Blend, Colombia – Monte Bonito, Ethiopia – Mustefa Abakeno.

Go online, it’s a treat to browse. It’s worth buying online, or at one of their shops located… Well no, I want to tempt you to take a look at the website, and the choices. It’s a great way to spend an hour or two. I will visit  Rounton Coffee Roasters once the lockdown is lifted. Until then, a trawl around the site is quite enough, and our coffee is delivered promptly.

So  if ethical growing is important to you, have a good look at the products this committed team have sourced, and made ready for you. Browse, learn, buy … We did, and do, and are loving every sip. Remember also, that wholesale is available.

Go to the website for More information.

Images courtesy of Rounton Coffee Roasters.