York Coffee Emporium relocates to larger premises after £550k investment

A York-based artisan coffee roasting business, which operates throughout the UK, has relocated to new premises in the city.

York Coffee Emporium, which was acquired last month by vending machines and refreshments systems supplier The Upton Group, has moved to bigger, purpose-design premises at York Business Park.

The new premises was acquired outright in a £550k investment by the parent company.

The artisan coffee roaster is now based at a 4,300 sq ft premises at Unit 4-5, Rose Centre after outgrowing a leased premises at London Ebor Business Park, Nether Poppleton, where it was located for more than two years.

As well as a larger yard and parking area, the new premises comprises 3,800 sq ft for warehousing coffees imported from round the world and two additional roasting machines; offices, meeting rooms, a showroom and coffee laboratory used by Upton Group commercial director and former York Coffee Emporium managing director, Laurence Beardmore.

York Coffee Emporium, which was acquired by husband-and-wife coffee enthusiasts, Laurence and Philippa Beardmore in 2011, supplies retail customers throughout the UK, including independent cafes, hotels, restaurants, businesses and tourist attractions.

The company, which has grown from £11k turnover in 2011 to a projected £1m this financial year, also supplies wholesale buyers and individuals from as far as Cornwall and Scotland, who buy through its e-commerce site as well as sourcing and selling loose speciality teas.

Laurence Beardmore said: “Our previous base was cramped and starting to hinder our development so we are thrilled that, following the acquisition of our business, Upton Group has invested in premises four times the size as part of our joint expansion strategy.

“Demand for artisan roasted coffees at home, leisure and work continues to grow significantly. Our new premises give us capacity for expansion in all areas of our operation and has already allowed us to create jobs for an additional packer, administrator and salesman.

“As part of Upton Group, we can jointly provide customers with a total refreshments solution including coffee towers, vending machines, coffee machines, bespoke hand-roasted coffees, speciality teas and snacks through a single point of contact and this will be a significant factor in our growth.”

Alec Upton, chairman of Upton Group, added: “We were customers of York Coffee Emporium for three years before the acquisition and it really was case of liking the product so much that we bought the business We now need to grow together and the new premises are part of this strategy. Our aim is for York Coffee Emporium to achieve £3m turnover in three years.”

The Upton Group, which also has based in Scarborough and Hull, supplies a wide range of refreshment systems for dispensing hot and cold drinks, confectionary and snacks, fresh foods and sandwiches, chilled water as well as artisan, hand-roasted coffees to a wide spectrum of enterprises from SMEs to international businesses throughout the UK.

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