Member Article

Bristol coffee roaster secures £1.1million funding package to purchase Avonmouth premises

A Bristol-based coffee roaster has secured a £1.1million funding package to purchase a premises in Avonmouth, as it continues to enjoy significant growth.

Clifton Coffee Roasters, which started out serving small independent stores and now offers an all-around service package to leading retailers, coffee shops and restaurants nationwide, has used the investment package from NatWest to purchase the entire building it was renting within the Island Trade Industrial Park.

The additional space will help the 31-strong team to facilitate the company’s future plans, which include creating new jobs for the local community and making its offering more sustainable.

Since taking ownership of the building, Clifton Coffee has added solar panels, moved to using packaging that’s entirely recyclable and is currently making the switch to electric vehicles across the business.

Founded by James Fisher in 2001, Clifton Coffee Company began its life servicing espresso machinery in local independent businesses. In 2004, Ed Buston came on board and the company expanded into coffee roasting. It now has an annual turnover of more than £7.5million.

James Fisher, managing director of Clifton Coffee Roasters said: “Clifton Coffee Roasters has always been a lifestyle business within the coffee industry and a company that Ed and I can enjoy running together. Business growth hasn’t always been at the forefront of our agenda, but when the opportunity arose to purchase the building we rented, we knew it was too good an opportunity to miss.

“Thanks to NatWest, we were able to purchase the site and, in doing so, gained much-needed additional space while also preventing our long-standing team from having to move to a new location. It’s also allowed us to focus on our goal of becoming a more sustainable and environmentally conscious business. It’s a very exciting time for us and our team, and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds.”

Keem Lau, senior relationship manager at NatWest said: “It was great to work with James, Ed and the team on this deal. Clifton Coffee Roasters is a business that aligns well with the bank’s core values, particularly as its principles are centred around making a positive economic, environmental and ethical impact.

“I’m confident they will continue to be a key player in the local business community, creating some fantastic new opportunities and building on its strong foundations to deliver continued success. Being a part of deals such as this one is always a pleasure, and I look forward to working with them again.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rebecca Sweeney .