Member Article

Artisan coffee business looks to brew further success with Aycliffe move

Railtown Coffee has moved into new premises on the Aycliffe Trading Estate, twice the size of its previous office, as it looks to build on a growing reputation in the North East and beyond.

The purveyor of artisan coffee, which supplies freshly-roasted coffee to a range of UK-wide customers, was founded in Darlington in 2013 by Andrew Henley.

Since launching, Andrew has steadily amassed a wide-ranging customer base which ranges from small cafes and farm shops through to large hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, including The Raby Hunt at Summerhouse and the Star Inn at Harome.

Looking to build on a 30% revenue rise in the last year, Andrew says the new premises will be key to unlocking further growth.

The site includes a training room, as well as space for a pop up cafe in which customers can try any of the dozen different blends that Railtown supplies, the composition of all of which are controlled and specified by Andrew.

As well as supplying coffee, Railtown also supplies the equipment customers to make their coffee, and provides training to ensure drinks are being made in precisely the right way. It also employs a dedicated engineer to service and maintain customer equipment as required.

Andrew Henley commented: “Having worked in the hospitality industry for many years, I was regularly disappointed with the standard of service we received from the companies that supplied our coffees, and I felt there was a real opportunity to do things better.

“Railtown’s focus is on backing up the high quality coffees we supply with the service standards that I would expect myself, and we’ve been successful as a result of sticking to these principles.

“Moving into larger premises gives us the space we need to develop all aspects of the business, and to move more quickly towards realising our goal of becoming the North East’s premier coffee supplier.”

Railtown Coffee has worked with RMT Accountants and Business Advisors around all aspects of the move into its new premises and the business’s continuing development.

Michael McGee, client services manager at RMT Accountants and Business Advisors, commented: “Andrew’s passion for coffee, his commitment to customer service and his knowledge of the hospitality industries makes for a very potent combination, and the support we’re providing is designed to help him take best advantage of the many opportunities that are coming his way.”

Andrew added: “We’re feeling the benefit of the financial and commercial expertise that the RMT team provides, and their involvement is helping us take the next step up in our business’s development.”