Cooke & Arkwright
News
Organic first for coffee chain
15/09/06
Coffee#1, the steadily expanding chain of coffee outlets established by Welsh entrepreneur James Shapland six years ago, has taken the plunge and committed its entire range of coffee beverages over to 100% organic, Fairtrade produce.
Mr Shapland, who comes from Radyr, believes Coffee#1 is the first outlet of its type in Wales to offer a full range of organic coffee and says that it is proving a real hit with customers. “I recently visited India to trace all our coffee back to source, meet the growers and see the organic production for myself. It was a fascinating trip and I learnt a great deal. It convinced me that it is the right way to go, in terms of quality, taste and agricultural methods.”
Mr Shapland is committed to expanding the chain across south Wales and the south west, with Chepstow next in line to get a taste of organic espresso when its largest outlet to-date opens at the beginning of November.
“We have acquired superb new premises for Coffee#1 in Beaufort Square in the heart of the historic town of Chepstow,” said Huw Thomas of Cooke & Arkwright. “The town’s recent face lift centred on the square where many of the buildings date back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. Coffee#1’s new premises on the ground floor of 1-2 Beaufort Square once housed the old cinema. The building extends to over 1,600 sq ft and will provide an ideal central location for shoppers and visitors to relax and enjoy refreshment.”