How it all started

My wife and I bought Rolf, our 1976 VW Bay Window Campervan, in 2005 and spent four months travelling across Europe and North Africa. After a series of jobs, from working in the cycling industry to becoming a fish and cheese monger, I eventually found my way into coffee, helping to set up Hermitage Road in Hitchin.

As we developed Hermitage Road, I trained at the London School of Coffee and was fortunate to receive barista training from Dale Harris, who went on to become World Barista Champion. The training gave me a strong foundation in speciality coffee and helped propel Hermitage Road into an award-winning café, later being named one of the UK’s top 50 coffee shops by The Independent.

In 2015, I founded Campervan Coffee Co, initially using Rolf to serve speciality coffee at street food markets while teaching myself to roast on a small machine I’d bought. I also spent time learning the craft of roasting with Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, building on the knowledge and experience I’d gained at Hermitage Road. What started as a campervan and a passion for good coffee has grown into a dedicated coffee roasting business, supplying freshly roasted coffee to cafés, restaurants, businesses and hotels.

Our roastery is based in a converted barn just 30 minutes from London and Cambridge. It’s where we roast our coffee, train baristas and work with our partners, who can also come and try espresso machines before choosing the right equipment for their business.