Green Cauldron has been trading successfully in Australia for over 10 years, and was launched in the UK two years ago. The business consists of a 100 acre coffee farm in Australia, roasting facilities offsite in both Australia and the UK, and a coffee house in Liverpool, which opened its doors last year.
Miller, who has been with Green Cauldron since March last year, wanted to fulfil his passion for coffee, which for him meant emigrating to the UK. He describes his move to London as a “monstrous change” but says he is very excited about growing the company. “It’s really challenging for me personally because I have come from a company in Australia where everything was already set up. I was in an incredible job and was treated amazingly and travelled the country a lot. But I then saw the opportunity to join a company that had its own farm, which is what I was really attracted to.
“It’s really exciting and inspiring to be able to bring this sort of coffee to a market that may not have seen this type of coffee before.”
Miller, who started working in coffee ten years ago, says the direction of Green Cauldron has completely changed since he moved to the UK.
“My background is in wholesale, roasting and training,” he says “which is our main business focus, rather than opening up a heap of coffee shops, which was our original plan. Our aim now is to get our coffee out there into really nice artisan shops.
“We want to work with people who are really passionate about coffee, who really like coffee and want to work with us to get the best product possible.
“This is where the business is moving,” he adds.
“The business came about from wanting to offer an ethical product and making that connection from farm to cup rather than just selling a product. We want to make a really lovely connection between farm, roastery through to café.”
He says the response so far to the Liverpool store is positive, but at the same time challenging. “It is hard to change the ethos of the culture in the UK. It seems to be very chain and quick driven. So, for example, if there is a coffee shop right next to you, you will go to that one, it doesn’t matter what it is. Changing that culture where people travel for good coffee, which is prevalent in Australia, is sometimes challenging, but we are getting a really good response in our Liverpool store.”
Miller compares the Australian coffee market to the UK. “There are a lot more roasters in Australia. A general punter’s palate is more educated in Australia than in the UK, but only because of time. Coffee is definitely moving that way in the UK. But I think it’s a little bit behind, it’s definitely not as developed.
“A general punter will pass a Starbucks in Australia and find an artisan store…that’s the difference.”
Miller compares the love of coffee to food. “People like Jamie Oliver give food something to be excited about. I think it’s the same as coffee, although coffee is a little bit behind food.
“People aren’t just drinking coffee for the caffeine anymore. People want to know what they are drinking and where it is from. People are realising it’s not just something to wake up with in the morning, they are becoming a lot more interested. Going to a cafe and drinking coffee with friends and being knowledgeable about coffee is a fun thing to have. It creates a really nice connection.”
He continues: “When I first came over here I went around to a lot of coffee shops up North and in London and just tried coffee, and my general consensus is pretty mediocre, but at the same time there are little pockets where the coffee offering is really good from independents.”
Beverley Seymour, director of Green Cauldron Coffee, agrees that the independents are improving but says chains should also be praised. “Credit should be given to the larger brands and chains such as Starbucks and Costa who are responsible for raising awareness of espresso based drinks, but I think it is the independents who are doing a fantastic job of leading on innovation and educating customers. Independents place more importance on the quality of the beans, the origin, roasting and farming – which in essence is the taste of the coffee.”
Green Cauldron’s coffee house in Liverpool has two areas; a typical espresso bar and a drip bar. Miller describes it as having an “edgy” look and feel to it. “We went for something that is reminiscent of the farm, something that’s a little edgy.”
As well as having a simple food offering of sandwiches, paninis, cakes and pastries, the establishment offers a new blend of coffee called Quarter Jack.
Also new for 2012 is the launch of its Sensory Lab in Haydock, Merseyside, which acts as a training facility for coffee shops and cafes. Miller, who is conducting the training sessions, is very excited about the new headquarters. “It’s a small space but it’s all we need for now,” he explains. “We are starting from quite humble beginnings and we want to keep it that way. We are in the place where we want to be.”
He says the sessions are open to anyone in the industry using Green Cauldron coffee. “We will be bringing in staff from cafes who use our coffee, and owners of cafes who might be looking to use our coffee. We also invite industry professionals in. But all in all, we have an open door policy, if anyone wants a play with some coffee, I’m up for it.
“Further down the line we want to develop a really solid training module where we can create a certificate programme.
“We would also love to offer this opportunity to kids who are finding it hard to get into employment. There are a lot of kids out there who don’t know what to do and where to go.”
The sessions are free of charge for businesses using Green Cauldron Coffee and there is a small charge for those not selling its coffee.
Green Cauldron’s competitors, or as Miller refers to them as “fellow roasters”, are Monmouth Coffee, Square Mile and Nude Espresso. Miller says it’s important to work together with these company’s rather than compete: “I’d love to go and learn from these companies, and would love for them to come and learn from us. For me personally it’s all about learning as a collective and then creating what we think is right.”
Miller’s main aim for 2012 is to secure wholesale partners. “People are extremely loyal to their roasteries,” he says. “So the challenge for me is to communicate that we can be a great wholesale partner. We want to develop our reputation and be proud within the coffee industry.”
He says that as an industry we could be doing more to drive coffee. “We could be doing more to get good coffee out there and I think we could be doing more to get ethical coffee out there. Saying that, there are some really great people doing some great things.
“I don’t think the industry is where it should be right now, but I think independent roasters are moving in a beautiful direction.”