This month, we caught up with Jeffrey Long, Managing Director at Java Republic, a pioneering company in the Irish coffee scene since its founding in 1999. Having collaborated with Java Republic for over two decades, we’re thrilled to sit down with Jeffrey for this edition of our Coffee and a Chat and get to know him a little better!
Hey Jeffrey!
Tell us a bit about you and your roastery.
As Managing Director of Java Republic, my role is to oversee all elements of the business and drive forward the future strategic direction of the company. I joined Java Republic in 2008 as Finance Director, also taking over responsibility for operations soon after, and then in January 2023 I took over the role of Managing Director. I am very passionate about Java Republic, the product we roast and the people that I work with. It helps that I love coffee and everything about it and the industry, this makes it very easy to do what I do each day 😊
Java Republic is Ireland’s leading supplier of premium coffee and coffee solutions to Irelands foodservice sector. This year, Java Republic celebrates its 25th birthday, an exciting milestone and one that we are all very proud to achieve. Our carbon neutral roastery and headquarters are located in Dublin, with additional bases in the South-West and West of Ireland, enabling us to provide nationwide service and support to towns across Ireland.
From premium coffee beans to machines and essential ancillary items, we provide a one-stop shop solution to hotels, cafes, restaurants and offices. Additionally, our online store delivers coffee, tea and home barista products to households across the country and beyond.
From day one, our passion for the environment and sustainability is embedded into everything we do. In 2011, we were proudly declared a certified carbon neutral company and are the first purpose-built carbon neutral roastery in the world! This set the foundation for us leading the way in sustainable practices. Over the last 25 years we have continually sought out new ways of doing things that enable us to protect the environment for a better future. We do not rest on our laurels and have a very strong sustainability and decarbonisation programme with many projects delivered in 2023 and early 2024. Examples of these are 315 solar panels installed on the roof of our roastery, zero waste to landfill production facility, as well as 100% recyclable coffee packaging. We have several exciting targets and milestones in place for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.
How long have you been in business, and how did the idea start?
The business was founded in 1999 by entrepreneur David McKernan. At that time, Ireland’s coffee scene was quite different, with instant coffee being the consumers’ preference and little emphasis on quality and traceability. David aimed to change this with Java Republic, striving to offer a premium product (or solution) that was both ethically sourced and sustainably roasted.
From the outset, the company set out to do something different and this is as important in 2024 as it was then. Yes, the coffee industry has changed a lot since 1999 but we set ourselves apart from our competitors by being close to our producers and also to what is happening in the coffee industry internationally, staying on top of trends and being agile in the marketplace. We make it our business to know our suppliers and build relationships with them as well as our customers.
How has Java Republic transformed over the past two decades?
Java Republic has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception and we currently have close to 100 staff members and have ambitious growth plans for the future. Over the past 25 years, we have navigated through many challenges, including the financial crash in 2008 and, more recently, the impacts of the Covid pandemic. The business was sold in 2019 to Cafento which is the largest family-owned coffee company in Spain, the support of the family was instrumental to the survival of the business during Covid. The business is now back to where it was pre-pandemic but this phase did prompt a significant transformation of our online retail offering. With a shift from only a select few products to expanding and scaling this offer substantially to cover everything from our core coffee and tea range, home brewing equipment, reusable drinkware and now even sustainable soap made from repurposed coffee grounds!
As well as the above, we have enhanced our focus on our people who are the most important part of the business alongside our superior product. In 2024, we have prioritized our team’s development by ensuring all staff members complete SCA Barista Skills Foundation training. By continuing to develop coffee education this helps enhance the passion for our product and drives our commitment to excellence across Java Republic.
Can you share some aspects of your sourcing strategy?
Our ethos has always been to work as closely as possible with the cooperatives and farmers that produce our coffee beans. It is very important to us that the product we buy is traceable, the supply chain is fully transparent and that the product is high quality. We regularly travel to origin countries so that we can meet the farmers and develop our relationships with them. By forging these relationships, we are better able to understand what is going on at origin and in turn support farmers, their families and the communities that they operate in. Over the years we have travelled to Sumatra, Rwanda, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Brazil to name but a few.
Are there any particular steps that helped your roastery achieve carbon neutrality?
We have been carbon neutral since 2011 but this is not something we take for granted and the goal is not to just maintain the status quo each year, but to continually search for projects that reduce our overall impact on the environment. From the outset when the roastery was built, it has been our goal to minimise the number of tonnes of CO2 emissions per kilo of coffee produced. So although we are carbon neutral we are engaged in a number of projects within the business to minimise waste, reduce gas usage, introduce energy saving initiatives, roll out of electric vehicles etc, all aimed at reducing our CO2 emissions every year. Additionally, each year we go through a thorough process to identify a carbon offset project that helps combat global climate change and support local communities.
Solar Panels
Are there any particular projects that align with Java Republic?
As well as working closely with coffee farmers at origin, we also strive to support the local communities in which we operate. In Ireland, we are involved in a number of projects that help us to achieve our Corporate Social Responsibility Goals. One of these is a now long-standing partnership with Oberstown detention centre and their barista training programme, also we have a close partnership with a branch of Down Syndrome Ireland in the south of the country, in Cork. Another is a collaboration with Focus Ireland, a charity that provides support to people experiencing homelessness
We have had a number of initiatives with origin over the years and are currently reviewing projects for the farmers who grow our coffee in Rwanda, Brazil and Costa Rica. We are hopeful that these initiatives will be in place by the end of Q3 2024.
How did you come to work in coffee?
I trained as a Chartered Management Accountant in Diageo and worked in brewing as well as the wholesale side of the business. Although I moved into an international manufacturing role for a few years I was always very drawn to the hospitality industry. I was very aware of Java Republic and knew they were a pioneer in the coffee industry at the time, this was a very exciting and interesting prospect, and I joined David McKernan in Java Republic in 1999.
Have you ever had life-changing experience with the beverage?
All the time… I go to many outlets (customer and non-customer) around the country and across Europe to have a coffee, not just to taste the product but to watch and experience what is going on from customer service, origins on offer, quality of the barista machine, food menu, the décor, fit out and overall experience. This is something I really enjoy and one of the most interesting parts of my job.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in coffee?
It is likely that I would be involved in another food & beverage business, I have a deep interest in this sector and I love everything about it. There is nothing I like more than talking to customers and people about what we are doing in Java Republic and also hearing about what is going on in their businesses, what their challenges may be and how we can potentially help them with our solution.
The hospitality industry is so people and relationship focussed it is hard to think of another sector that is as exciting and very challenging at the same time. And being the provider of a premier coffee solution to the foodservice sector in Ireland, I believe we have a product and service that can really make a difference to people.
Are you reading or listening to anything you’d like to share?
“Taylor Swift comes on through Spotify favourites all the time as my wife and daughter were at one of the recent Dublin concerts……there is no getting away from it despite my protestations 😊”
Do any personal values flow into your approach to coffee?
I operate with a high level of integrity in everything that I do, I am not afraid of the truth and I stand up for what I believe in. Integrity is a key part of what we all do in Java Republic and the team supports each other to drive the business forward in an honest, transparent way whilst being accountable for their actions.
Do you have a mantra you live by?
Take care of your body and mind as one will struggle without the other. I am working on this and it’s something I am more and more conscious of all the time.
What’s your favorite thing about living where you do?
I live in Rathfarnham in south Dublin Ireland. We love the area as we are very lucky to live within walking distance of everything we need. I have three young children and we spend alot of time outdoors with plenty of parks, sports grounds and cycle paths nearby to keep us busy and on the move.
Do you have any local tips or hidden gems to share?
A number of local coffee shops are starting to open later into the evening which provides a really nice option for a social chat when rushing from one activity to another at weekends. On a nice bright day there is nothing better than cycling up the Dublin mountains to Killakee Point and looking back down over Dublin City and into the bay where you can see Irelands Eye along with Lambay island.
How do you take your coffee?
First thing in the morning I will have a Flat White or Cortado, followed by black Americanos as the day moves on. If time is not a factor at the weekends or on holiday, I will have a light roast single origin filter coffee brewed through a chemex or V60. I see this as a real treat and an enjoyable coffee when it happens.
What’s your favorite origin and why?
This really varies as we taste so many fabulous coffees all the time. Currently I am a big fan of the new speciality house blend that we have in our Java Republic cafes, it is made up of washed Guatemalan and Colombian coffees that give a nice creamy balance of chocolate and nuts, as well as, apples and oranges.
