Chimney Fire Coffee is a B Corp™ Certified speciality coffee roastery and importer, based in the Surrey Hills.
We work hard to bring our customers coffee to suit every taste that supports ethical and eco-friendly practices, all the way from farm to cup. We have long-term relationships directly with growers and producers, use 100% compostable & recyclable packaging across our range & deliver social impact through donations to Re-Cycle, a small charity who refurbish bikes in the UK and send them to rural communities in Africa.
Chimney Fire Coffee was set up in 2017 after Founder Dan spent several years working in coffee and cocoa traceability before moving back to the UK from Ghana. Dan was inspired to see how much work goes into producing a high-quality cup of coffee but also saw first-hand the many challenges with fluctuating coffee prices, climate change affecting crop yields, and the high cost of production. After returning to the UK he brought in his first batch of coffee directly from friend and Kenyan coffee agronomist Robert, and began testing and tweaking coffee recipes. Alongside learning the craft of coffee roasting, Dan was part of the trial of AirBNB Experiences, inviting members of the public into his back garden ‘Labin’ (lab-cabin) - a tour and tasting that continues today as our Bean to Cup Coffee Experience.
From the outset we were fortunate to work with some incredible partners who shared our passion for quality. Working with local independent businesses and receiving lots of feedback from early online subscribers and coffee experience visitors enabled us to grow and increase our range of coffees to suit different tastes.
It has always been our goal to provide growers and producers with a sustainable source of income through direct, transparent buying practices. We started to commit to coffee purchases upfront - building long-term relationships through farm visits, WhatsApp and questionable Spanish. Most of these relationships have been formed for several years, and we're now able to handle much of the logistics in-house - meaning greater transparency and a higher price for producers.
Over the next couple of years, we received three Time & Leisure Awards, served our coffee to royalty and rolled out a successful crowdfunding campaign. However, there was a lot less time for hob-nobbing when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in spring 2020. We quickly scaled up our subscription platform to service the working from home boom, introducing our Discovery Coffee range and taking on a second space in the courtyard to expand our production capacity. Below is a video from our original roastery in the courtyard.
In August 2022 we became a Certified B Corporation™, an international commendation of social and environmental performance. The B Corp™ Community is a nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet, using business as a force for good.
For generations, coffee drinking has been a fundamental part of British culture, and it should surely be mentioned in the same breath as other staples such as bread, milk, and eggs. As such, we must be even more mindful about where our coffee comes from, how it is produced, and the waste we generate from consumption. Our 2023-2024 Impact Report highlights our impact objectives, our progress so far, and how we will look to improve before our next B Impact Assessment in two years time.
Towards the end of 2022 we were nearing capacity once again, so we doubled the size of our roaster to 30kg & quadrupled the size of our space to 4000 sq ft. We've been extremely happy with our new location, just four miles down the road and on one of the UK’s finest vineyards, Denbies Wine Estate.
What’s next for Chimney Fire Coffee? We’re not quite sure yet, but check out our socials and newsletter for some of the best coffee content this side of Dorking.
The Chimney Fire Coffee Team ☕
