How to launch a coffee business

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How to launch a coffee business

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

Saturday, November 29, 2014 · 10am - 4pm GMT

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

The inside story on the UK's new coffee explosion, and how you can get involved

From being the capital of a tea-fuelled nation, London is now a global coffee destination. An explosion in local roasteries, coffee shops, vans and assorted blends and barista schools has made the UK a hot property in the java world. This stimulating event gathers together some of the pioneering talents behind the coffee revolution to provide inspiration and instruction to artisans and entrepreneurs with creative ideas of their own.

Curated and hosted by Jim Cregan of ground-breaking brand Jimmy's Iced Coffee, this large-scale seminar features talks from Dave Jones of speciality coffee producers Origin Coffee Roasters, Luke Suddards, co-founder of acclaimed cold brew pioneers Sandows, and Mark Johnson, award-winning founder of innovative social enterprise CanDo Coffee. From crafting gourmet products to tips from world-class baristas, this event covers every staging post on coffee's journey from farm to cup, and shows how there's still room for inventive and passionate coffee fanatics to make their mark.

This course is for you if...

  • You have an idea for a new coffee product, service or venue and want to know how to get started
  • You want to know more about the emerging gourmet coffee scene and the players within it

Course description

This large-scale, full-day seminar explains the on-the-ground realities of today's coffee market, and the practicalities of launching a new coffee business – whether it be a venue, product or service – from initial development to marketing your brand through social media. Topics covered on the course include:

  • Speciality coffee, from crop to cup
  • Direct sourcing speciality beans
  • The craft of roasting
  • Creating the perfect cup
  • The origins and science of cold brew coffee
  • Creating a coffee brand – from sampling to surviving your first few weeks
  • How to get a product onto the shelves that matter
  • How to mix commercial and social aims to make your passion a force for good

Tutor profiles

Jim Cregan went to Oz after getting fed up of UK winters. During his trip, he found the phenomenon of ready-to-drink iced coffee. After returning home to the UK, he realised that nobody made anything close to what he had on his travels and decided to make his own. He teamed up with his sister Sooz, and formed Jimmy's Iced Coffee in November 2010. Five months later they sold their first carton in Selfridges. Since their launch, they've gained listings with Tesco, BP, WHSmith, Waitrose, Budgens, Welcome Break and Ocado. Their strap line is 'Keep Your Chin Up' and is the foundation of what Jimmy's is all about.

Dave Jones is is the barista trainer for Origins Coffee Roasters, developing and mentoring baristas from speciality coffee shops, boutique hotels and high end restaurants across the UK. Prior to joining Origin, Dave worked at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall and bar managed the Michelin-starred Nathan Outlaw in Rock. A three time UK Barista Championship semi-finalist and UK Latte Art finalist, Dave is now in the process of gaining accreditation as a UK Barista Championships judge.

Luke Suddards is the co-founder of Sandows London, the capital's first cold brew coffee specialists. Luke was previously a manager and barista at TAP Coffee in Soho where he met business partner Hugh Duffie, and the pair began developing the brand story, recipes and packaging for Sandows. Launched in April 2014, the boys have now sold 6,000 bottles in under six months. Winners of the Young British Foodies Coffee category for 2014, Sandows has been called the 'connoisseurs choice' and 'the king of cold brew coffees' and has gained substantial coverage in the media this summer.

Mark Johnson is the founder of CanDo Coffee, an innovative social enterprise serving coffee while offering socially excluded people meaningful employment opportunities. An ex-offender and former drug abuser, Mark's business policy is to employ other recovering addicts and ex-offenders. He has won, among other accolades, a Pride of Britain award for his work. A former policy advisor to The Prince's Trust, Mark's bestselling autobiography, Wasted, was published in 2007.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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