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Coffee Roaster & Retailer

First things first and in case you didn't know...

 

Coffee growers and manufacturers are companies that produce coffee beans. This process can involve growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, and grinding the beans. They may also import green coffee beans, which are unroasted coffee beans, and then roast and package them for sale.

 

Two Chimps Coffee, are ‘Roasters’ and focus on the roasting and selling part of the coffee production process. They carefully (and meticulously) source their coffee beans and then roast them to create their unique blends and single-origin coffees.  They then package and sell the roasted coffee beans to consumers.

Key skills/talents

Here are six key skills you will need to be successful in this role:

  • Entrepreneurial spirit: To not just have the idea, but the desire to pursue it as a commercial venture.

  • Business skills: You will need to be able to develop a business plan, manage your finances, and market your products.

  • Operations/logistical skills: You will need to be able to source coffee beans, roast them, and package them for sale.

  • Sensory skills: You will need to be able to identify the different flavours and aromas of coffee beans.

  • Quality control skills: You will need to be able to ensure that your coffee beans meet the highest quality standards.

  • Customer service skills: For a business like this, your brand can live and die on a bad reputation and bad reviews, so making sure you maintain good relationships with new and old customers is vital.

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​Qualifications required

Unsurprisingly, there are no formal qualifications required to become a coffee manufacturer or roaster, but some employers may prefer candidates who have a degree in food science, agriculture, or business.

 

Likewise, if you are thinking about setting up this kind of business, these qualifications may help with your strategic thinking and execution.

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Below are a few universities that cover food science & agriculture degrees:

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For more information on these university degrees, or indeed to search for business degrees, as always, go to the UCAS website: https://www.ucas.com

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Rules and regs

Here are some prevalent UK laws, rules and regulations you must abide by:

 

Here are some of the types of insurance you might need:

  • Public liability insurance: This will protect you from claims made by members of the public who are injured or become ill as a result of your negligence.

  • Employers' liability insurance: This is a legal requirement for any business that employs staff.

  • Buildings and contents insurance: This will cover your business premises and equipment against damage caused by fire, theft, or other events.

  • Business interruption insurance: This will cover you for loss of income if your business is unable to operate for a period of time due to an insured event.

 

Insurances can be purchased from a variety of sources, below are a few links:

https://dpi-insurance.co.uk/coffee-manufacturing-insurance

https://www.pib-insurance.com/business/food-and-drink-insurance 

https://edinsure.co.uk/coffee-roasters-business-insurance

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Remuneration framework

Cards on the table, we are not even going to attempt to answer this. Laura and Andy certainly run a successful small business and earn good money from it. Their ambition is not to create a global brand, so other than organic customer growth, their earnings will always be relatively modest in comparison to the big coffee ‘boys’ out there.

 

However, food related roles are wide and varied. Food is Europe's largest and most buoyant industry, and there is a constant demand for graduates with knowledge of technical skills and ways to tackle the latest consumer issues.

 

With the above qualifications, you would be recognised as a professional food scientist by the Institute of Food Science and Technology. You can then embark on a career within the food industry or a related sector, working for companies such as PepsiCo, Marks & Spencer, Mars, Unilever and McCormick. These types of roles can earn from late £30ks to well into 6 figures as you progress.

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How to get started

To embark on a career like this, it is worthwhile to take the following into consideration:

  • Firstly, gain practical experience in the coffee industry. This could involve working in a coffee shop, roasting company, or coffee importing business. This hands-on experience will provide valuable insights into the various aspects of the industry - and indeed whether you have the level of interest, and sensory skills to pursue it as a professional career.

  • Secondly, enhance your business acumen by taking business courses or pursuing a degree like the pens stated above - IF qualifications are something that rank high with you (for some they do, for other’s ‘hands-on’ experience feels a better fit).. Developing strong business skills will be crucial for managing finances, marketing your products, and navigating the competitive landscape. Laura and Andy had run a successful photography business prior to Two Chimps, meaning they already had a lot of the ‘background’ business infrastructure in place.

  • Thirdly, save up funds, or work out how you’re going to finance your set-up (business loans, friends/family loans). Starting a business requires financial resources, so it's essential to have a solid financial foundation. 

  • Next is to create a comprehensive business plan outlining your goals, strategies, and financial projections. This plan will serve as a roadmap for your business journey.

  • Lastly, ensure you obtain the necessary licences and permits required to operate in the coffee manufacturing industry. These legal requirements vary by region, so it's important to research and comply with all relevant regulations.

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However, if it’s just a career in food you are after, then consider either what type of company (and maybe even brand you’d like to work for), and then keep a close eye on their job vacancies and intern programmes, of which there are lots every year.

 

As always, we’re big advocates for work experience programmes, so finding even a small, local business like Two Chimps to help out at, during their busy times (for free, or possibly paid), in order to build-up some on the job experience to take forward, along with your qualifications, for job applications and interviews, will be a big plus.

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Job site links

There is a dedicated job site in the UK for careers within the coffee industry and it can be found here: https://www.coffeejobsboard.com/jobs 

 

Indeed, Reed, Linked In and other job sites will also carry job vacancies for the food industry in general.

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Associations or official bodies to register with

The British Coffee Association (BCA) is the representative organisation for the coffee industry and the voice of UK coffee:  https://britishcoffeeassociation.org

 

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) was established in 1963 under the aegis of the United Nations and following the approval of the first International Coffee Agreement in 1962. The ICO is the only intergovernmental organisation for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing Governments. It currently represents 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world consumption: https://ico.org

 

The Specialty Coffee Association United Kingdom Chapter (SCA UK Chapter Ltd) represents UK-based members of the Specialty Coffee Association. The SCA UK's main goal is to organise and host the UK national coffee championships, which serve as a pathway to the World Championships. Additionally, the SCA UK aims to promote the knowledge and appreciation of exceptional coffee: https://scauk.coffee


The Beverage Standards Association serves and represents  members’ interests by delivering, developing, and endorsing the best practices in the industry through training, education, and networking, to improve the standards and quality of products and services in the out-of-home hot beverage market:  https://www.beveragestandardsassociation.co.uk

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Progression pathway​

Growing a business is down to you and how far - and how quickly - you want to take things. As we’ve said, Laura and Andy have developed Two Chimps very organically, and at a pace that works for them; and their aspirations are to continue this way.

 

Once you have the base business and brand in place, it may be that you need additional investment to take things to the next level; doing your research into investor schemes and further (bigger) bank loans is essential. LOTS of small businesses fail when they try to jump scale without the proper finances and business plan/approach in place. Be brave, always, but be careful.

 

If running your own business doesn’t quite feel right for you, then as we’ve touched on there are many careers you can have within the ever-thriving food industry.

 

Once qualified in food science, you could go into research, product development, marketing, food technology and food quality assurance in the food industry; and eventually into consultancy and policy.

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Additional Information/links

https://www.whatuni.com/advice/choosing-a-course/10-reasons-you-should-consider-a-career-in-food-and-drink/55326

 

https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/food-industry-careers

 

https://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf/what-we-do/people-and-employment

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