February 2020 saw us move from our original home in HMYOI Aylesbury to a new facility at HMP the Mount. The prison is a Category C men’s institution located near Hemel Hempstead. Opened in 1987, it houses just over 1000 residents and features an extensive works department housed in purpose-built industrial workshops. Ours is the northernmost unit, Workshop 10.
The demand for coffee from wholesale clients and retail outlets necessitated our move to the bigger space provided by The Mount. The new roastery fulfils our production needs and provides an additional site for education and training with plenty of room to spare.
The roaster itself, a Loring S70 Peregrin, the most environmentally-sustainable machinery on the planet and market-leading for roast quality. Its Smart Roast System incinerates all smoke and odour before it leaves the machine, meaning no afterburner is necessary. This efficiency results in a reduction of CO2 emissions by 83%. The Flavour-Lock Roast Process decreases oxygen and increases the level of humidity produced within the roaster. This means the beans are less dried out during the roasting process and more oils are preserved within the beans, leading to better results. Capable of roasting up to 600 tons of coffee per year, the Loring S70 is a force to be reckoned with!
Although the roaster takes the limelight, the space itself is just as important a change; the 5000 sq ft warehouse is five times bigger than the workshop at Aylesbury. Featuring a vehicle bay and dedicated goods, it road allows for convenient logistical management and streamlined production.
Although the roastery is not accessible to the general public, the below web tour gives you a good idea of what the space is like. We do run occasional visits - wholesale clients should contact their account manager.
