Chimney Fire Coffee is a B CorpTM Certified speciality coffee roastery, nestled 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 our suppliers, 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.
THE FOUNDER
ABOUT DAN
Founder Dan Webber spent several years working on coffee and cocoa traceability projects in Ghana.
After returning to the UK and building a new garden shed, he purchased his first roasting machine 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.
THE START OF CHIMNEY FIRE COFFEE
THE LAUNCH
In 2017, it was time to launch Chimney Fire Coffee from a converted stable in the Surrey Hills.
Elizabeth Furth joined the company as Head Roaster, bringing in her roasting expertise to help consistently produce exceptional speciality coffee.
THE START OF CHIMNEY FIRE COFFEE
EXPANDING THE RANGE
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.
THE START OF CHIMNEY FIRE COFFEE
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
It has always been our goal to form direct sourcing relationships with coffee growers, cooperatives and exporters.
Making direct, long-term commitments provides farmers with a better income, a sustainable business model and ensures that the farm is economically and environmentally sustainable and not just a subsistence operation.
THE START OF CHIMNEY FIRE COFFEE
AWARDS
Around this time we received three Time & Leisure Awards, served our coffee to royalty and rolled out a successful crowdfunding campaign.
DURING COVID-19
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 unit in the courtyard to expand our production capacity.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
MOVING LOCATIONS
After less than a year we were nearing capacity once again, and made the decision to upgrade our beautiful CoffeeTool roaster to the next model up.
But there was a problem - it wouldn’t fit in our current unit! We were extremely happy to be offered a unit on one of the UK’s finest vineyards, Denbies Wine Estate, and moved our company four miles down the road to our new home in November 2022.
B-CORP CERTIFICATION
During this period, we made a conscious effort to sleep less and apply for the world’s leading sustainability accreditation.
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.
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