All Categories - THE GARDEN ROASTERY

2023 - A Year To Refresh

28/12/2023

For those of you who have been following The Garden Roastery for a while, you may remember that this time last year I was feeling pretty deflated. My beautiful old roast machine (Daisy) had been struggling with breakdowns and was needing significant maintenance. I felt like I had lost my coffee mojo with repair times and costs affecting my small business.

So, after some soul searching, I decided that rather than dwell on the negatives I needed to take control. After spending some time thinking of all the things that I love about what I do, and remembering to consider the skills I have (and those that I don’t) I started planning. Shortly after which I was delighted to be asked if I would be interested in supplying my first catering contract and The Garden Roastery coffee became available at the lovely Chataways Tea Room and Shop. From then my energy grew.

In March I spent time at the CoffeeMind Academy in Copenhagen (pictured with the wonderful Morten Munchow below) to refresh my roasting skills and excitement. Following my trip, I made a big purchasing decision to buy a new roast machine, to enable increased production and reduce risks in the business, and soon took delivery of an Aillio Bullet (Mindy) pictured below.

It’s not all been plain sailing, I have continued to balance the demands of a small business with a busy corporate career, which I love and at times I have certainly overstretched myself. Additionally, the doubling in price of green (unroasted) coffee beans around the world has stretched every roaster to the limit. Trying to manage costs, in order to keep prices affordable for customers, is an ongoing challenge.
So, what’s next? You may ask. Here I am again at year end - trying to step back, take a look at the bigger picture and focus on my priorities. For 2024, I would like to commence a series of coffee events, spend time at a fully operational coffee plantation and continue to refine my skills, whilst maintaining the heart of the business - to provide high quality fresh roast speciality coffee to my wonderful customers.
So, thanks for coming along for the ride and here’s to the next 12 months.

Coffee to go

26/6/2023

Getting a decent cup of coffee when you are travelling can be a challenge. Even the most hardy of speciality coffee lovers have been known to slum it on the go and reach for the instant, or even the dreaded conference coffee flask - and there is no shame in that. However, there are just a few simple considerations for you if you would prefer to drink a better quality cuppa when on the go.

The key considerations are location transport and brewing. Firstly, if you choose to take good quality coffee with you, will it fit in your luggage? Will the aroma permeate your clothing - making you smell like a roaster all week? (Although there is nothing wrong with that 😉). When you reach your destination, how will you brew you coffee? Do you need to take other equipment with you? Maybe a hand grinder?
Whilst all of these are relevant questions, you also need to think about convenience and storage. At the end of the day - it’s coffee, not emergency medical supplies, although of course some of us might argue with that..

At the roastery, we’ve got quality coffee for your travels covered. The Coffee-To-Go Travel Can has everything you need to make great quality coffee on the go. A hermetically sealed can, to protect against spills and aromas in your luggage. Freshly ground speciality roast coffee with individual filter bags that hang over your cup. Plus, a gorgeous wooden coffee scoop. So all you need is hot water and a cup for coffee anywhere.

Finding a Roastery…

You can find great coffee roasters all over the world and Google will do a pretty decent job of making suggestions. From a quality perspective you may also like to take a look at The Coffee Roasters Guild - the global trade guild of the Specialty Coffee Association - www.crg.coffee.
If I have time when I’m travelling I love to try a coffee from a local roastery or great coffee shop.

‘Coffee To Go Travel Cans’ and refill packs are available from The Garden Roastery.

'Coffee to Go' Travel Can

£20.50

Everything you need to brew a fabulous cup of coffee wherever you are. Whether you take it in your work bag for hybrid working, in your car for a weekend away or in your suitcase to take on holiday.

A reusable stylish tin, holding fresh roast, ground coffee with a stylish wooden coffee scoop and coffee filters that sit directly on your cup or mug. This tin has everything that you need when to make amazing coffee when home or away.

A stylish silver colour tin (measuring 95mm x 130mm) with a round, hermetic sealed, hinged lid. Containing 150g of fresh roast ground coffee, a wooden coffee scoop and 10 individual coffee filters which fit directly over a cup or mug. (Mug not included).

The coffee will be fresh ground to the perfect size to use in the individual filter bags provided, with a choice of medium roast, dark roast or De-Caf.

If you would like to send this item directly to a gift recipient, please indicate this in the 'Note to Seller' within your order including the wording to be written on a gift card which will be included. In the case of a gift no receipt or invoice will be sent within the package.

REFILL PACK for 'Coffee to Go - Travel Can'

£13.15

A refill pack for your 'Coffee to Go - Travel Can',

1 x 220g recyclable bag of filter ground fresh roast speciality coffee.

2 packs of 10 individual coffee filter bags.

(Mug not included)

These photos of beautiful roasteries are from my recent visit to The Dordogne in France. Above left is the Brulerie Sarladaise and above right (plus coffee pic) is Cafe Layac.

Set intentions & achieve goals

2/4/2023

The power of intention…. There is a lot of talk around at the moment about setting intentions, manifesting and gratitude. I would say that whilst I feel the words are overused, I am someone who believes in the power of those things from a practical and pragmatic perspective.
Having had a tricky few months, with equipment and home breakdowns, at the end of 2022, I set an intention to go ‘onwards and upwards’. I’ve always loved the quote ‘What’s Next?’ from The West Wing, and to me it signals not wallowing, but positively moving forwards. Which of course is not always easy… but I did it..

I set the intention to refresh my coffee skills, immerse myself in the coffee world and reignite my passion. Even though I had some nerves, I booked a trip to Copenhagen to spend a week in the Coffee-Mind Academy. I studied for a higher level of roasting qualification, undertook practical and written exams and passed!! For which I was certified by the Speciality Coffee Association as a Roasting Professional. The learning from the course has given me new skills, loads more knowledge and major new energy for my business.

Time to buy a new roaster...
The other key objective for the trip was to decide on which new roaster to buy. As my business has grown, I need extra capacity to roast more coffee, and I was seeking to upgrade my technology to achieve even better results with my roasts. My original roast machine, Daisy, is getting older. At Coffee-Mind in Copenhagen there are many roast machines to try and I was able to understand the pros and cons of each, relative to my business. By the end of the week I knew which machine was going to be right for the next stage of my coffee journey. When I got home, I placed an order and she arrives tomorrow. I am beyond excited and I can’t wait to show you.

What about Copenhagen as a city?
With so much stuff in my head before the trip about coffee training, I hadn’t had much time to think about where I was going, but, Copenhagen I love you! A beautiful city, super easy to get around, with people who are so genuinely friendly and helpful wherever I went. Fresh, delicious and innovative food and amazing coffee. The city has beautiful sites, with such a calm and peaceful atmosphere. I will definitely be going back!

So 'What’s Next? I hear you cry....
I had set the intention to develop my products and services and I would love to share more about coffee with my customers, face to face. One really important part of which is the sensory aspects, how to really understand, detect and describe tastes and smells in coffee. So, this month I will be undertaking a sensory training programme. So watch this space, as I start to plan products and activities using my new skills...

In the meantime, please keep following my journey. You can do this via Facebook and Instagram - @thegardenroastery. If you enjoy catching up on life at The Garden Roastery, why not tell your friends too..

For now, as always, thank you so much. Lisa x

Copenhagen here i come…

8/3/2023

It’s almost time to go…
On Sunday I fly to Copenhagen to spend a week at the Coffee Mind academy. I’ve always been a person who performs better if I am motivated. Five and a half years ago I trained at London school of Coffee where I passed my course and exams to become a Speciality Coffee Association certified roaster. I’ve just celebrated a big birthday and I’ve been running my small business, The Garden Roastery, for 5 years, so now feels a great time to press the injection pump.

So what’s in it for me? I am going to refresh and learn new skills, review new roasting equipment, network with fellow roasters, fill my brain with coffee geek facts and start the next chapter of my coffee story….. and I can’t wait!
What’s in it for you? Loads of great stuff! If you’re a customer, you will have a roaster who’s at the top of her game, seeking out new and exciting coffees and roasts for you to sample. If you like to keep up to date with life at The Garden Roastery, I’ll have loads more content and interesting stuff for you to access through my social channels and you can take a look at beautiful Copenhagen as I experience it for the first time.

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark with fabulous Scandi style. As well as great coffee, there is beautiful architecture, canals, gardens and fabulous food! I will have some time to explore whilst I am in Denmark, as well as attending my training course and exams, so I’ll keep you posted along the way.
So what happens when I’m back? Well, watch this space. After returning from my course I’ll be planning updates to the Roastery offerings and then we are into festival season with London Coffee Festival kicking off at the end of April.

I can’t wait to take you on my journey.
Lisa xx

2022 Year End Report - Small business imposter syndrome?

31/12/2022

Firstly, I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and some well earned rest ahead of the New Year onslaught...

At this time of year, I usually write a year-end report. So, I sat down this week to think about what I would share with you through my experiences of running The Garden Roastery in 2022, what were the nuggets of things that really stuck in my head that might be of interest? If I’m honest, I really wasn’t sure whether I wanted to write a year-end report because it’s been an up-and-down year. With the last few months being more stressful than usual. There have been some challenges but there have also been some real highs. So don’t stop reading at this point, it gets better I promise.

Having mulled it over, I started to wonder, is there such a thing as Small Business Imposter Syndrome? Why is it that we often think that we need to be perfect before we are legitimate in business? Surely, it’s the journey that’s the thing that we should be enjoying rather than search for that elusive, perfect business. Surely, it’s those lows and challenges that we overcome, the items that were unexpected that, when we finally look back, will be the ones that we remember. Of course, business is about sales figures but it’s about so much more. It’s about fulfilment, providing amazing customer service and giving something back. It may be a single customer being delighted with their purchase, a snippet of unexpected positive feedback, or being able to support a local supplier, which gives you a sense of achievement.

Imposter Syndrome
–The persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills

So here is the year-end report that I wasn’t planning to write for 2022. For me the year has really been a game of two halves. Following my delight at the end of 2021, when I had doubled the sales figures for The Garden Roastery, I felt that I was already delivering a high quality and consistent service. The first half of 2022 started well, building on that joy and really feeling like I was getting somewhere with a significant increase in regular customers and wonderful feedback from customers who have been shopping with me for many years.

The Lows?

Then in July 2022 something not related to the business really had an impact at home, we came back from a few nights away to find a swimming pool on the floor in the kitchen. Well, not a real swimming pool of course. The hot water tank in the loft had kindly decided to leak through to the upstairs of the house, through the bathroom and into the kitchen before depositing itself onto the downstairs floor. To be honest in the scheme of things it’s a very basic problem and should have been relatively easy to fix. The volume of water, compared to some leaks or floods was insignificant, but what followed felt like six months of constantly being let down by suppliers which meant by Christmas we had just concrete floors and no furniture in the downstairs of the house and no confirmed sign of resolution.

Daisy, my beautiful retro coffee roasting machine, was really starting to feel like she was reaching her twilight years.

Trying to sort out the repairs in the house at the same time as running a small business along with my busy corporate role wouldn’t usually phase me, but in addition unfortunately my wonderful Daisy, my beautiful retro coffee roasting machine, was really starting to feel like she was reaching her twilight years. She started to show signs of needing a lot more TLC and on several occasions, I was unable to roast due to break downs. Hopefully all the issues for Daisy are solvable, but they’re not the sort of things that you can do in half an hour squeezed between other priorities. You really do need to allocate time in any business to plan in those maintenance schedules, make sure you’ve got every part in stock, make sure that you’ve got additional stock in case of a breakdown. The good news is that Daisy has been receiving some much-needed TLC in the Christmas shutdown with some shiny new parts on order.

“But what about the highs for 2022?” I hear you cry!

Well great news, The Garden Roastery customer base has grown, with orders being dispatched across the UK. Local customer awareness has spread, and I regularly find myself being greeted with ‘oh you’re the coffee lady’ – that always makes me smile. There have been new product launches – the latest being the sell-out Coffee Travel Can and for the first time ever The Garden Roastery coffee and gifts are available for purchase at another local business.

So, what’s next?

Those of you who are fans of The West Wing will recognise the phrase… 'What's next?'

What does 2023 hold for me and The Garden Roastery?  Well, it’s onwards and upwards.  I have been qualified as a Coffee Roaster since 2017, through the Speciality Coffee Association.  But it’s time to refresh and top up.  So, this year I am planning to travel to Copenhagen for the next stage of professional roaster training, exams and qualifications.  I can’t wait!
I will also need to start looking at new equipment, and I will be using my training trip to scout out the best roasting machines before considering an upgrade to help increase capacity and let Daisy start her well-deserved retirement.
Product development will definitely be on the cards with consideration of a range of subscription packages.
Support and networking – I really want to spend more time networking with and supporting other local businesses.  It provides such a boost to meet others in a similar situation and share great ideas.  I have a business degree and 30 years experience which I hope can help others.
Last but not least, I want to give more back and support worthy causes where I can.  Whilst The Garden Roastery does not have the funds do make large corporate donations, I will absolutely be looking for opportunities to support worthy causes and reduce environmental impact whilst providing the best service possible to my customers.

Keep the faith...

I’m really looking forward to this year. I’ve got a big birthday coming up and that is a big reason to focus on my passion. For all small business owners out there I do believe there is such a thing as a Small Business Imposter Syndrome. I think all small business owners at some point wonder whether they’re actually doing it right and forget how much they have achieved and how far they have come. There have been so many small businesses close with the recent economic challenges. But keep the faith! You do know more than you think, all the effort is worth it. Yes, it’s very very hard but don’t give up. Keep your passion, keep celebrating the journey, support each other along the way and together we will all keep small-business alive.

Thanks so much for all my customers and all those people who have supported the Roastery through 2022. Let’s look forward and have a wonderful 2023. Happy New Year!

Lisa xx

Ramblings of a Roaster - back on the road

23/10/2022

Recently, I’ve been musing on the many changes in life and pace over the last 2 to 3 years. Whilst the pandemic has indeed been horrific for many people, I still can’t believe how much it has fundamentally changed many of our lives. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones and those still suffering. In other ways the pandemic appears to have made many people look at their lives in a very different way. Either forced by change in employment, and personal circumstances or by a personal choice. Life now is simply not the same as it was before.

For me - there has been a mix. Those of you who have been with me on this journey since the beginning of the Roastery will have long known me as a career girl (perhaps I’m stretching the latter term a little there..). For much of the last three decades I worked up to 60 hours a week with a long commute. I’ve always been incredibly lucky to have a role that I have loved and receive great support from frankly amazing people along the way. Yes - it’s been very hard work and many times I wondered about a change. I have been incredibly proud to receive some awards – I have been named in the British Car Industry top 100 females twice in recent years, received a Special Recognition 'Award for Innovation' and took up the opportunity to Chair the Board of a trade organisation. I’ve worked in the private, public and not for profit sectors. So, you may be wondering why am I telling you all this?? So, here’s the crux, I feel hugely proud and privileged to have has many amazing opportunities in my corporate life, but in addition, I have to tell you that none of them has produced quite the same feelings as running a small business. This part of my life has given me a whole different set of emotions, and I feel incredibly lucky to do both!

Training at The London School of Coffee

I trained at London School of Coffee in 2017 and was certified by the Speciality Coffee Association as a Roaster. I set up The Garden Roastery in 2018. Since then, I have reduced my ‘day job’ official working time to four days a week (albeit still up to 60 hours a week). By dropping my official working days, I have been able to dedicate more time to the Roastery. In that part of my life I wear many hats: owner, roaster, manager, operator, marketer, blogger, PR, project manager, web-designer, production, packing, finance …. Many days are exhausting, and within those days I experience every emotion from worry and frustration to pure elation! Yes, even this morning I cheered out loud and clapped my hands when I received the first order of my new product, within just an hour of the official launch! All those tough days, worry, stress and emotion are worth it for that moment when something I created was good enough for a complete stranger to want to purchase.

The Garden Roastery Established 2018

Over the last few weeks, I have been extremely busy and since the pandemic my weekly schedule has changed significantly. I now operate a hybrid work pattern, with a varying number of days in the office and other days based at home. I try to protect my roastery working time with a passion, because, simply it is a passion. Autumn commuting has become pretty unpredictable, with most days when I am in the office having a three-hour round-trip commute. So I am back on the road, coffee flask to go.

Back on the Road -coffee flask to go..

,So, what am I getting to here? - well this has all been leading to the inspiration for my new product (yes, the one that led to cheering and clapping this morning). We all have busy lives, and they all take different shapes, they can be unpredictable and, if you’re anything like me, you try to fit too much in. And so, the ‘Coffee to Go - Travel Can’ was born. The simplest yet most effective way I could design a product to enable us all (and yes, I will use one) to have a good cup of roast coffee, wherever we are. After finding many times at the start of hybrid working that I was not able to access a decent drink and with my travel increasing by the week, I wanted something that I could grab and go. A kit that was easy and well-made that I could top up whenever I needed. So, take a look….

The simplest most effective way I could design to enable us all to have a good cup of roast coffee wherever we are

Shop 'Coffee to Go - Travel Can'

People sometimes ask me - why and how I do what I do? I’m sure we could all ask ourselves that question……I’m still not sure of the answer to be honest. I see myself as someone who has never planned anything in her life. I work as hard as I can (generally too hard), I am sensitive soul and I never regret anything that made me smile. So, I plough on and try to put my energy into what feels right – trust your gut!

So, for now, this roaster is signing off ……

The Garden Roastery…. Coffee for people who want the flavour without the hype

Christmas spiked spiced coffee

10/12/2020

It’s that time of year for something comforting to warm the cockles, and for coffee lovers why not something to build on our favourite beverage? Introducing Christmas Spiked Spiced Coffee. Whilst this warm cocktail can be made with standard roast coffee or even De-Caf, why not push the boat out? ........ well as my favourite childhood advert always said ..the ‘holidays are coming’.

A beautiful blend of The Garden Roastery Whole Spice Coffee, spiced dark rum, vanilla and sweetness with a luxury crystallised sugar stirrer.

The whole spices in The Garden Roastery Christmas blend give the amazing taste and aroma of Christmas, with cinnamon, cloves and star anise.

To make, simply:

Prepare a strong portion of coffee,
In a cup, or heat resistant glass -
Add a shot of spiced rum,
Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
Add one teaspoon brown sugar
Top up with hot water to desired strength
Serve with a crystallised sugar stirrer ...and better still a warmed mine pie!

If you’d like to make your own, head on over to The Garden Roastery shop, where you can buy your Christmas Whole Spice Coffee & Crystallised Sugar stirrers... then all you need to decide is what to add....

Flavoured coffee

7/6/2020

The garden Roastery - HalF-Caf blend

22/4/2020

International women’s day - what does that mean?

8/3/2020

So this morning I woke up and checked my social feeds, to see that today is International Women’s Day. My first reaction was ‘well I wonder what that means?’ After a little research it’s clear that the focus of this day is raising awareness against bias, celebrating women’s achievement and taking action for equality. So I sat with my first cup of Sunday coffee and I started to think...

Filter Coffee Not People

As some of you will know, before setting up the Garden Roastery I spent 25 years building a career in the male dominated world of engineering. A career which I love, and which continues today alongside running my coffee roastery. With a profession which is focussed around people I have been lucky enough to be in a position to develop and implement many tweaks and changes which support a more equal workplace and industry. When I first started work, I certainly saw examples of inequality, unconscious bias and in some cases very conscious bias. I have also seen reactions that far outweigh a situation and can send progress in the wrong direction.

Positivity creates change...

I am a firm believer that positivity creates change, and I believe in supporting change that creates equality, by being respectful, appropriate and proportional, not ‘in your face’ and antagonistic.

I have been lucky enough to be born in a part of the world where culture and equality is progressive. I have benefitted from equal rights in a democracy, equality in education and rarely found a barrier that I couldn’t overcome. However, I have personally experienced practices in other countries where this is not the case by a long shot, so whilst we can always improve, let’s recognise how far we have come.

Let’s recognise how far we’ve come

Looking at my female friends, colleagues and local female business owners, it is clear to me that positive support and strength is the most powerful combination. All the female role models that I hold in high esteem, who have been successful in their chosen route (business, family, sports...), have been the ones putting all of their energy into supporting others, showing compassion and fairness, but most importantly working hard. The ladies in my family, both in the UK and overseas, are absolute examples of this, and how lucky am I to be part of that gang...as my Dad said, even the cat was a girl!.

So for me International Women’s Day is about positively supportive each other, celebrating success, recognising where change is needed and working hard together to achieve that.

I have been blessed with some wonderful male role models who have supported and encouraged me, sometimes providing a strong foundation of listening and advice, but also importantly shown me, sometimes with tough messages, that in life you have to crack on. As my wonderful dad would tell me ‘life isn’t fair’ and that’s true, so I worked hard, tried my best to support others and never wanted anything that I didn’t deserve.

So I’m sending a huge well done to all of those women forging ahead in their chosen path, a hand of support to anyone struggling in a difficult circumstances who may need to reach out for help, and true recognition to those men who support the incredibly important role of women in their lives.

#IWD2020 #EachforEqual