MEET THE PRODUCER
meet THE PRODUCER :
Lost Barn Coffee
Lost Barn Coffee is a speciality , artisan coffee roastery situated just outside of Tenterden in the quaint village of Rolvenden which produces award-winning , ethically sourced coffee with mouthwatering depths of flavour and freshness .
How did you end up roasting coffee ? Martyn , myself ( Jo ), and my husband Blair started Lost Barn Coffee in 2018 after we all returned to England having spent many years living and working in Melbourne , Australia . Melbourne is renowned for being at the forefront of the speciality coffee industry . With Blair ’ s background as a chef , Martyn ’ s experience running cafés and restaurants , and my background in design , we decided to bring together our skills and collective inspiration and knowledge to launch Lost Barn Coffee .
What was the inspiration behind Lost Barn Coffee ? Our time in Australia has heavily influenced the style of coffee that we roast – using high-quality beans and roasting them to a medium level to celebrate the natural flavours inherent in the coffee . The inspiration behind our name and our brand identity comes from the rural location of our coffee roastery , and the story of a huge storm that ‘ blew away ’ the original barns on the site in 1839 . Sustainability and strong ethical values are also very important to us . We aim to purchase beans directly from growers wherever possible ( bypassing the middlemen means the farmers get paid the true value of their produce ), and our zero-waste packaging scheme has proved hugely popular with our wholesale partners .
Where can people find / buy your coffee ? Our full range of coffees can be purchased to brew at home via our website and can be enjoyed at venues around Kent including : The Pilot in Dungeness , The Woodstock Cafe and Rumwood Nurseries both in Maidstone , and the new EC30 Community Wellbeing Centre in Tenterden . We also supply the Redlibbets Golf Club in Sevenoaks , along with the other venues in the group ’ s collection including the Hampton Court Palace Golf Club .
What ’ s your favourite blend / how should it be drunk ? Our Bloomsbury Blend is my personal favourite ! A smooth blend of Brazilian and Mexican beans , it has caramel , biscuity and nutty flavours with a citrusy , acidic twist on the finish . The Bloomsbury is designed to be brewed through an espresso machine , but our customers tell us they enjoy it just as much as brewing it through other methods – it ’ s a really versatile coffee . We ’ re also incredibly proud to have had our Bloomsbury Blend recognised by the professional critics too , taking home top scores in the Guild of Fine Food ’ s Great Taste Awards , as well as being a current finalist for the UK ’ s Best Speciality Product in the Great British Food Awards .
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