Alice Whitehead meets the coffee lovers behind Surrey business Coffee Real and finds out why they are so committed to producing top quality coffee
Capel couple Gary Best and Maarit Lotvonen enjoy a meal out. They’ll often have a starter, and they might even stop for dessert – but they never linger over coffee. And it’s not because they have babysitters to get back or even that they dislike coffee; in fact, they love it – they just dislike this kind of coffee!
“I’ve never understood why you can go to a really good restaurant in this country, have a wonderful main and a fantastic dessert – followed by really bad coffee,” says Gary. “We’ve always ended up going home early because we know the coffee we make at home is miles better!”
This isn’t an empty boast for Gary. As co-directors of Newdigate coffee roasting company, Coffee Real, he and his Finnish-born partner (and business partner) Maarit know a top quality, hand roasted, single estate coffee when they see it.
Maintaining the standard
“We both loved good coffee but were frustrated by the lack of places to buy it – or drink it,” says Reigate born and bred Gary. “We were looking to set up our own business and we kept thinking ‘there’s real market here for top notch coffee’ and the two passions just came together.”
In 2007, they took delivery of their first pallet of Arabica coffee beans – “It was very exciting, and still is very exciting,” says Gary – and began hand roasting in small batches for a growing list of discerning businesses and online customers.
“We don’t sell our coffee to businesses just for the sake of it,” says Gary. “We only sell to those who are genuinely interested in our coffee.”
In fact, such is their level of commitment, as part of the package to businesses, they offer a barista training course as standard. “We want to ensure they’ll brew it and serve it to its best potential because, ultimately, it’s got our name on it.”
It’s a process that has made Gary very adept at spotting poor coffee-making skills. “When I go to a café or restaurant and I knock out the coffee drawer, I can immediately tell if they know what they are doing,” he says. “If it’s like cow poo – wet and soggy – then it has been under extracted and I know they’re serving coffee without that full punch of flavour. If they’re dry rounds, like little cakes – then they’re onto a winner. Essentially, a good beverage comes down to good grind, good coffee and a good barista.”
Quality cup
Gary and Maarit have become self-taught experts in coffee bean sourcing, having spent the last five years travelling the globe to uncover quality hotspots.
Today, they roast 50 different coffees from more than 20 countries – with 80 per cent of those coming from farmers they have direct relationships with. Ultimately, it all boils down to the “quality of the cup” says Gary. “We spend a week ‘at origin’ meeting each of the farmers and making new contacts,” he says.
But this process has not been without its challenges. “It can be tough logistically as each country has its own way of doing things, but we have built up contacts and you learn where to go and who to go to,” says Gary. “Getting coffee out of Africa has always been a bit tricky as we’re dealing with areas that are very remote. Some of it is ‘garden grown’, which means it can be one family’s only cash crop for the year – covering just half an acre.”
Savour the flavour
So what sets a Coffee Real roast apart from something you might brew from granules or beans bought at the supermarket? “Supermarket coffee is commercial grade – essentially a lorry dumps the beans in a giant hopper and out of the other end comes packaged coffee. It’s that simple,” says Gary. “Little thought is given to flavour.”
The Coffee Real difference, says Gary, is that the beans are lightly hand roasted – “we don’t cremate our beans” – and it’s all done in small batches, up to a maximum of 12kg, for between 13-18 minutes. The beans may come out at a scorching 240C, but their flavour profile and origin characteristics are kept intact.
“People have got so used to poor coffee in the UK, they don’t really what’s good anymore. There’s certainly a lack of knowledge, and it’s not until they try good coffee that they become hooked!” says Gary. “A good coffee can be more complex than a good wine. I can brew five Brazilian, single estate coffees and each one will taste completely different. Okay, so they might have an underlying base note of Brazil i.e. sweet and nutty, but ultimately they will all have different nuances.”
“People think of coffee as bitter and they think it needs milk and sugar, but when they taste ours they realise it isn’t and it doesn’t,” he continues. “Milk and sugar have always been used to mask the bitterness of poor quality coffee.”
A dead cert
Gary is pretty forthright about ethical certifications too, shunning convention by coming up with his own ‘RealTrade Certificate’.
“We do not totally disagree with certifications such as FairTrade; we just feel that there are better ways to impact the communities we specifically want to work with.
“Through going to these farms, and paying extra funds for the coffee, we impact those farmers, employees and families directly and immediately,” says Gary.
“We can ensure that the farmer’s employees are cared for and the farmers are following correct environmental practices.
“We audit these elements directly, or through a shipper and/or importer that has the same philosophy, and we only buy the very best green coffee from farmers who are passionate about growing coffee and wish to produce the very best. We then agree to pay premiums for this.”
True love
Coffee Real’s commitment to quality does seem to be paying off. Customers are multiplying thick and fast and they’ve even opened their own Coffee Real branded café at the Arora Hotel, Gatwick.
But Gary says they’d like to stay small and, in effect, ‘artisan’. “We don’t want to grow too big because at a certain size we can still be hands on, and we can keep an eye on quality.
“We’ve been offered the chance to sell our coffee in a big supermarket but have declined.” he says. “Fundamentally, our focus is on small independent businesses, cafes and farm shops, as this is where we are most true.”
Where to find a Coffee Real - click here to find out where you can buy Coffee Real in Surrey
Just some local venues where you will find Coffee Real:
The Running Horses – Mickleham
Quality coffee comes as standard at this picturesque family run country inn, which also boasts home-cooked British food and a wine list to die for. Enjoy your brew in the cosy bar next to a roaring log fire. Read more about The Running Horses dining pub, Mickelham
Butchers Hall – Forest Green
Stock up on coffee alongside fabulous rare-breed meat at this family run farm shop, which offers everything you need for a picnic, party or everyday meal from bacon and sausages to cakes, cheeses and chutneys – all sourced from the local area. Read more about The Butcher's Hall, Forest Green
Another locally based coffee roaster, Beanberry Coffee Company of Woking, produces exceptional coffee. Read more about Beanberry Coffee Company, Woking - Surrey's certified organic coffee roastery
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