Fresh coffee delivery service Pact Coffee has launched a new coffee shop partnership programme aimed at supporting small, independent coffee shops and further developing the speciality coffee scene in the UK.
Craving Coffee, a North London-based speciality coffee shop, is the first to take part in the partnership, serving Pact coffee as a guest roast for a limited period of two weeks until 21 December. The collaboration marks the first time that Pact Coffee has been made available to consumers in a coffee shop.
They will be serving Pact’s Finca La Joyeria espresso, a washed Colombian coffee with flavours of “poached pear and dark chocolate”. It will be roasted in Bermondsey in London and delivered to Craving within seven days in order to deliver the freshest taste.
The partnership has been announced at a time when competition in the coffee shop market is at an all time high, Pact said, with an estimated 1,400 independent speciality coffee venues in the UK. This figure is set to increase to 2,500 by 2020, according to an Allegra Strategies report released this year.
Pact Coffee founder and CEO Stephen Rapoport said: “With so many different coffee drinking moments in the day, I’d be the first to defend the independent coffee shop. You can’t beat the work of an expert barista at your local speciality shop or cart. These people really take care to source the finest beans and make coffee well. We support anyone that’s deserting their regular, standardised high street chain coffee and hunting out the independent option. It’s now possible to drink the finest speciality coffee out and about, as well as at home.”
In a joint statement, Craving Coffee foudner Matt Ho and head barista Rob Ward added: “As a relatively young business we are always on the lookout for ways to acquire new customers, whilst also retaining a loyal following. One way we do this is by rotating our guest roaster frequently to showcase new coffees and keep things fresh for our customers. The concept that Pact provides is great, a true partnership. In its simplest terms, they let their customers know we exist as a café to enjoy great coffee and food out of the house, and we let our customers know they exist to enjoy specialty coffee at home.”
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