Something’s Brewing

Well, well well…

It has been a long time coming and I really hope I have the discipline to take these forwards. I can’t say they will be expertly crafted, as perfection will only lead to me getting imposter syndrome and not posting them. But I have wanted to do this for a while, as not only I do really enjoy writing; I find some peace and creativity in it but I want to share about what people in the industry are doing- the parts that excite me, the disruption that is being executed and the frustrations we are facing.

I am not trying to be the next newsletter for coffee, but there are so many people in the industry doing amazing things that I want to share their story and what they are up to, and so perhaps it will be a platform for other voices, those all over the world and a place where people who are looking for the good in the industry can come to be inspired or find some peace in their heart.

(image of me with 15kg Besca Roaster at World of Coffee in Geneva)

The reason I got into the industry was because I was a restless teenager, frustrating my parents at home and so I got a job in a cafe to keep me busy. Now some 16 years later, that restlessness still stands and I remain hyper-focussed in coffee, and perhaps it’s because somehow, I find purpose here. Our industry is not currently sustainable, coffee pricing, global warming and the maltreatment of people is leading us on a path that means if things don’t change quickly, then we will no longer have coffee as we know it.

I see it as my goal to enable the coffee industry to forge itself onto a better trajectory than it currently is. And I do that with Hope Espresso already in a few ways, firstly by working with existing businesses and roasteries to help them sell more coffee and sell better coffee. By better coffee, I don’t mean quality, I mean in trade and connections- forward contracting, building relationships with suppliers and creating a more equitable trade. When it comes to quality, we all know deep down, specialty coffee is only 10% of global supply world-wide, so if we want sustainability, we are going to have to drink remarkably more ‘average’ coffees to ensure a future. Proper training is also a huge vehicle for driving that change.

(Image of when Mountain Harvest visited from Uganda and we visited Coal Town Coffee in Wales together to put the coffee world to rights)

Secondly, we also help new businesses set up with correct trade from the start. Whether that’s helping a roastery start from scratch and their first coffees being bought direct trade, or that’s helping a café find the right roaster for them. We work at the other end too, with growers and producers that we have built relationships with over the last 8 years and connect them with the UK market increasing their sales and giving stability for years to come.

Despite being in the industry for over half my life, I would like to clarify I am still no expert to say the least, but I hope this will be a track of my learning and development within the industry as the industry unfolds over the next few years.

And I want to use this blog as a showcase of Hope- the good things that are being done in the industry by the people I am connecting and working with, from crop to cup. Innovation is happening all around us and I want to bring it to light and keep record of the progress that is happening, so that we can all keep pushing forwards and believing we can be better.

(image of myself and the other judges at Bartlett & Mitchel barista championship final in May 2025)

Alongside this, I hope to share with you, innovation, education on topics that have taken me a while to get my head around, and the parts of the industry that truly excite me.

If you want to get in touch and have something to share, talk or write about please do on esther@hopeespresso.com

Most kindest regards,

Esther xx