We support our team to gain professional qualifications within the coffee industry and actively encourage them to enter competitions and share their expertise where they can.
Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)
We recognise the importance of accurately assessing the coffee we buy and sell, and have six Q-graders and two of which also have the level 1 Q-Processing qualification.
Q – Grader Arabica
Thierry Akroman – Quality
Philip Searle – Senior Trader
Priscilla Daniel – Senior Trader
Henry Clifford – Senior Trader
Mantvydas Trainavicius – Senior Trader
Jamie Treby – Trader, Speciality
Q – Processing Level 1 : Generalist
Priscilla Daniel – Senior Trader
Philip Searle – Senior Trader
Coffee Chemistry
The industry’s first and only program of understanding aimed at providing a greater technical understanding of overall coffee science.
Coffee Science Certificate Level 1
Philip Searle – Senior Trader
Jamie Treby –Trader, Speciality
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
Part of the coffee skills program, these courses offer in-depth training on specific specialist modules.
Sensory Skills Foundation
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control
Henry Clifford – Senior Trader
Sensory Skills Intermediate
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control
Henry Clifford – Senior Trader
Sensory Skills Professional
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control
Green Coffee Intermediate
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control
Green Coffee Professional
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control
Brewing Skills Intermediate
Henry Clifford – Senior Trader
The Specialty Coffee Association
Authorised Training (AST)
Our Head of Quality, Diana Johnston, is a registered AST and qualified to teach the following courses:
Introduction to Coffee
Green Coffee
Sensory Skills
Our Quality Lab is a certified Premier Training Campus for Sensory, Green and Q-grading qualifications.
Competitions and judging
Diana Johnston – Head of Quality Control:
UK Roasting Championship 2019 – 1st, CHAMPION
UK Brewers Cup Championship 2018 – 3rd place
UK Coffee in Good Spirits 2017 – 3rd place
Scottish AeroPress Championship 2014 – 3rd place
UK Barista Competition Head Judge – 2014 to 2016
Jamie Treby –Trader, Speciality
Industry Involvement and achievements
We have been a member of the British Coffee Association (BCA)
since its conception and contribute to the following:
Member Services Committee
Trade & logistics meetings
Technical and Quality Arbitration
Sustainability Committee
We have been a member of the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA)
since its conception:
Forming part of the first Board of Directors and were the first UK Coordinator
Certifications
In 1993 we become the first independent coffee importer to gain a Fairtrade licence and the first to gain an Organic licence in the UK.
In 2003 we secured Rainforest Alliance certification and are presented with the Rainforest Alliance’s prestigious “Corporate Green Globe Award” for introducing and promoting their programme in the UK
