Well, it's certainly been a few weeks since our last post Interviewing The Coffee Industry. I have 5 left to post, so no better timing then the next 5 days!
18th-22nd every evening at 5pm we will have the final 5 Interviews of 2020. Let me know if you've enjoyed this mini series on my blog and if you'd like to see it again (and who would you like to see?!)
Today's wonderful guest on Interviewing The Coffee Industry is Em from We Are Here Coffee!
How are you?
Great, nervous and excited. What a fun ball of emotions that is. How are YOU? (J: I'm v good thank you!!)
What is your companies name and what do you do?
I am the founder of We Are Here [coffee]. Founder meaning, doing all the bits and bobs for the business. Luckily I love variety and being busy so this has worked out perfectly (phew!)
How has Coronavirus affected your company during 2020?
Well, WAH started (again) in March... after a few years hibernating after Fred (the coffee cart) was stolen. I'd been thinking of starting a roasting business for the last few years, working on a concept, scribbling some designs, asking friends questions and just as I was ready, Ms Rona came a knockin'. A good 4 minutes were spent thinking "WTF am I doing starting this in a pandemic?!" but then I'm a fan of making brave/stupid decisions (plus, I'd just quit my job so what would I do with my time anyway?). As I've had nothing to compare to I can only imagine that encouraging people to drink good coffee at home has weirdly been helped by a pandemic, I'm looking for silver linings here.
Have you had change any aspect of your company to adapt to new regulations?
Not so much as I started with them in place.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in the industry this year?
Since the first lockdown there's been a pretty big boom in coffee subscription companies, before that it was mainly roasteries with a handful of boxes that combined them. In the last 6 months roasteries have switched from what might have previously been a predominantly wholesale focus to home consumers meaning huge jumps in website development and spend on social ads. Being a bootstrapped business means I don't have the same funds to drop on Facebook or Google that those big boyz do. So instead I make sure the website, coffee and experience is as easy, fun and uncomplicated as I can. Being different can sometimes seem a little scary - not putting any details on our labels and donating money with every bag certainaky raised a few eyebrows - but I think those are the best bits about us and (hopefully) the reason people buy them.
How have you felt about The Coffee Industry this year?
It's been a tough year for the industry for sure, cancelled events/markets, coffee shops having to chop and change every 6 minutes. It's certainly kept everyone on their toes but on the flip side with a lack of places to go... a beautiful online community has emerged. It feels like there is a 'place' for coffee fans to go and learn more, making friends (both locally and internationally) and discover new coffees/roasters. People have been more creative and innovative with their business and customers have been more loyal than ever. Two big extremes and I just hope everyone makes it through safely; physically, mentally and financially.
What is something you have missed in the Coffee Industry in 2020?
Oh, so much! But y'know casually just heading to another roaster... walking in with no weird screens or distance or talk of Covid (it's our new how's the weather right?). Chatting - not about anything important - just hanging... shooting the breeze. Seeing them get excited about something new they're about to do. Cupping something great. I miss that. Lots.
How has Coronavirus/Lockdown affected your Mental Health?
It's been a wild ride hasn't it? I definitely found it really tough at the start but learning triggers, adopting a cat and making sure I didn't watch the news every evening helped keep things in balance. But, I do love a good cry and my bed so those have been good go to's when it's all got a bit much. Shout out to anyone locked down alone, I did it for a few months and it was...HARD. Hit me up on Insta if you fancy random chats about pointless stuffs.
What are you looking forward to in 2021?
Great hugs, having people over for dinner and taking down the patriarchy?
Find Em & We Are Here Coffee
Em on Instagram - Click Here
We Are Here Instagram - Click Here
We Are Here Website - Click Here
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