LIQUID FOUNDERS

Jeremy Knight

Ernie Coffee

HOW HAS THE COFFEE INDUSTRY CHANGED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS?

Consumers are far more demanding of their coffee and the quality and origin play a key role in their decision-making process. Coffee-drinkers have also become increasingly more aware of the impact of coffee miles and coffee production, along with the sustainability and ethical issues around the industry. At the same time consumers are also into trying so many new things, and brand loyalty is a thing of the past. If you can’t keep your consumers engaged and entertained at all times, it becomes ever more difficult to stay relevant.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF THE COFFEE INDUSTRY?

For us at Ernie we won’t have a future unless we innovate our product offering and service to delight our customers and work tirelessly to reduce our carbon footprint to the extent that we don’t have one. Our brand is so much more than just its focus on sustainability, but it is key that this is at the heart of our product and service offering. We need to evangelise this message through everything we do.

WHAT DO YOU DO DIFFERENTLY AT ERNIE TO OTHER COFFEE COMPANIES OUT THERE?

We are the first non-packaging, carbon free delivery coffee company, specifically focused on London businesses who care as passionately as we do about doing the right thing. Of course our coffee itself is fantastic: we can trace it along every step of its journey from farm to our London roastery, right until it arrives at our customers’ premises. We record all the savings our customers make by signing up to Ernie and share this with them on their own dedicated carbon-free website portal, so employees and shareholders alike can see the difference they are making to the planet as an organisation.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE KEY TO THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS?

Great tasting, ethical coffee delivered with zero negative impact on our planet!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING AND THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING AN INDEPENDENT COFFEE BRAND OWNER?

The coffee industry is probably one of the most competitive consumer businesses there is and that’s why at Ernie we focus on supplying coffee to businesses. The best thing is our independence… it means we can make a huge impact on the level of product and service we provide versus our competitors. The biggest challenge to overcome is the prejudice of workplace coffee being the lowest common denominator and of questionable quality.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN ENTREPRENEUR LOOKING TO START A COFFEE BRAND?

Just do it. The coffee business is tough, but there will always be room for dynamic and innovative brands that are looking to do things differently. For us, the more brands there are in the industry the better it is for consumers. Just remember to keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground and what could possibly go wrong!

Summer 2023 contact us at:

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