What is specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee is coffee graded 80 points or above on a 100-point scale by certified Q Graders. It celebrates traceability, careful processing, ethical sourcing, and the craft of roasting to bring out each origin's unique flavour.
- Traceable to farm, cooperative, or washing station
- Roasted in small batches to highlight origin character
- Sourced seasonally, often through direct trade
Featured producers
Roasteries worth exploring
Square Mile Coffee Roasters
Square Mile Coffee Roasters roasts in Walthamstow, east London. Their About page describes a purpose of sourcing outstanding, seasonal coffee, roasting it to bring out its best, and delivering a coffee experience that delights, alongside wholesale supply to coffee shops, restaurants, offices and workspaces.
Origin Coffee
Origin Coffee roasts at its Cornwall HQ and runs coffee shops including sites in Porthleven, Bristol, London and Edinburgh. Their Story page describes a team of coffee professionals, a world-class coffee programme, seven coffee shops and an ever-evolving product range.
Climpson & Sons
Climpson & Sons began as a market stall on Broadway Market in East London and now roasts at its own East London roastery. Their site describes growing into one of the UK's leading independent specialty coffee businesses, with coffees served in hundreds of cafés, restaurants, bakeries, bars, hotels and offices.
Redemption Roasters
Redemption Roasters describes its mission as reducing reoffending through coffee, training prison leavers and people at risk of offending for secure, meaningful employment. It has roasted at HMYOI Aylesbury and HMP The Mount, and from December 2025 roasts its social impact coffee at a new Wembley roastery, with an HQ in King's Cross.