Lou Webster, Founder
The Coffee Consultancy
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we invited Lou Webster, Founder of The Coffee Consultancy, to showcase a selection of brilliant women she believes are paving the way for a more inclusive path for the UK’s thriving coffee scene. These amazing individuals have motivated us to do good and do better and hopefully have sparked inspiration for all of you out there as well!
Freda Yuan, Head of Coffee, Origin Coffee Roasters
Freda has worked so incredibly hard for her amazing career. She was UK Cup tasters Champion in 2017, 2018, and has won the title again this year. She has worked for two of the UK’s biggest roasteries: Caravan’s Green Coffee Buyer and now as Head of Coffee for Origin Coffee. She continues to be a force for good beyond her own career, by being open and honest about her own struggles with bulimia and vocal about the need for self-care to cope with the demands of high-pressured jobs. Through her candor, she is opening up space for conversations about mental health in the workplace and how co-workers can best support each other.
Girls Who Grind Coffee
I love absolutely everything about these guys. Fi and Casey set up their first roastery in the middle of nowhere in Wiltshire, via Australia and America. They source amazing coffees from female producers, highlighting the brilliant talent of the farmers as well as telling their stories. They are providing a platform for women working at both ends of the chain, opening up new conversations and business growth opportunities for farmers. Plus, they have the best merchandise and branding in the business.
Linda Castle, Co-founder and Head Roaster, Cielo Coffee Roasters
Based in Leeds, Linda and her husband Nick, co-founded their social business Cielo and took their mutual love of coffee to create social and nurturing spaces that benefit their local community. Their desire to create connections through coffee is one that truly resonates.
Esther Gibbs, Operations Director, Manumit Limited
Manumit truly is a business for good, providing dignity and hope and a safe working environment for survivors of modern slavery. Through their Roastery in Cardiff, Esther and the team provide training and employment opportunities for survivors and invest all profits into anti-slavery projects. Esther is using her skills and platform as an Authorized SCA Trainer (AST) to raise awareness about trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Luiza Furquim, Head Roaster Ancoats Coffee Co & Hannah Mitchell, Manager Foundation Coffee House; Brewherher
Based in Manchester, Brewherher is a supportive community for women created by a group of female coffee professionals. They host monthly socials, with workshops and seminars to share their knowledge and experience in coffee to help others develop skills in a safe and inclusive environment.
Lisa Lawson, Dear Green Coffee
Lisa has been at the forefront of the Scottish Coffee scene for the best part of the last decade. She founded Dear Green Coffee in 2011 and has created a business that has had a positive and profound impact on all areas of the coffee chain. Ethics and sustainability are at the core of this business and it is through these beliefs and passions that Lisa and her team have created an amazing coffee company that is a business for change and for good.
Camilla Morgan, Sales Manager, VA Machinery
Camilla is a beacon of positivity and passion in an area that is not often highlighted or populated by women - that of tech sales. Have you noticed the surge in popularity of Victoria Arduino Eagles in new coffee shops over the past few years? Well, I’d say that Camilla is at the forefront of this boom. What a brilliant Ambassador for VA.
These amazing women are a constant source of inspiration to me and countless others, I am sure. By shouting about the successes of others, collaborating and networking I hope we can continue to raise the bar for women working in coffee.
About Lou Webster, The Coffee Consultancy
Lou has worked in the coffee industry for six years and has had the pleasure of working in North America, the UK, and Europe. During that time, she has worked as a barista, a trainer, a head barista, a coffee and café manager and a production roaster. All these experiences have led her to start her Coffee Consultancy business, where she helps others open new coffee shops or improve the standards in their existing businesses.
Through meeting and talking with many influential and inspiring people, it is clear to Lou that there is still a lot of work to be done to encourage more women and people of colour into the coffee industry and provide the framework for all to excel. She hopes to continue meeting and working with inspirational people who will help bring greater diversity and talent into the UK’s Coffee Scene.
