'a heartfelt THANK-YOU' - year end review 2019

Hi Coffee Lovers 
Whenever I get to this time of year between Christmas and New Year, I always find myself in a reflective mindset.  For me it’s a time to think back on the year past, before launching myself into the New Year with as much gusto as I can muster.  

So what of 2019?  The headline for me and The Garden Roastery is Wow!  This was my first full year since the Roastery was established and I can’t tell you how pleased and happy I am about how things have gone.  As many of you will know, I started roasting as a hobby, after training as a specialist coffee roaster a few years ago.  Within a few months, the friends, to whom I was giving my surplus roasts, insisted on paying for them and so that was it, The Garden Roastery business was formed.  
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This year, with more experience and understandingly of my customers, I have focussed on recognising what people want.  I have been so pleased to offer more eco-friendly options, like refillable tins and larger bag sizes, give better flexibility for customers with my new secure out-of-hours collection point, and a broader range of gift products.

I have reached out to a wider customer base and at the end of the year, I diversified with my new CoffeeSpa beauty boxes, providing innovative homepsa skincare, which harnesses the amazing benefits of coffee.  All of these aspects have resulted in 3 times as many sales in the last quarter of the year, compared to the same period last year.  No wonder it has felt so busy, and the need for Noelle The Elf - Christmas Intern.

​​As you know I’m always keen to give something back, and I have been so pleased to be able to support a number of charities through the year, including Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Primrose Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society. 

As I look back on 2019, I have to say that by far my top reflection is all the wonderful people who have supported my business.  Along with those closest to me, my family and my wonderful friends, the customers of The Garden Roastery have made my year!  I can’t tell you how blown away I have been with the amount of support that both I personally, and the Roastery, have received.  From customers who I have met in person, to those who I have met online, I have been blessed with many pieces of positive feedback, support, referrals and recommendations.  When you run a small business, with sales on-line, it’s so powerful and empowering to receive that support.  So I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported me.  From those who choose the Roastery as their coffee supplier, to those who are supporting a local business, to all the social media likes and shares from further afield, as well as the biggest form of feedback by personal recommendations.  I couldn’t do it without you.   

​From the end of a great year to the start of the next chapter I wish you all the very best for a happy and healthy 2020.

​Lisa x

Roaster by Passion