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Helston · United Kingdom

Origin Coffee

Since 2004 · Tom Sobey

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Overview

Origin Coffee was founded in 2004 in Helston, Cornwall by Tom Sobey and produced what the company describes as the first commercially roasted specialty coffee in the county. From a single Diedrich 12kg the operation grew to two 30kg Loring Smart roasters and an additional 15kg Loring at a new Cornwall roastery opened in 2021, alongside seven coffee shops between Cornwall and London — including the original Harbour Head café in Porthleven (2015) and the East London Shoreditch flagship (also 2015).

Known for

  • Founded 2004 by Tom Sobey — Cornwall's first commercial specialty roaster
  • First Loring Smart roaster operator in the UK — eco-friendly, smokeless, 80% less fuel use
  • 90%+ of green coffee bought direct, with farmer relationships dating to 2008 (e.g. the Mierisch family)
  • Head of Coffee Freda Yuan: UK Cup Tasters Champion 2017, 2018, 2020 and 3rd at the World Cup Tasters 2017
  • Allegra Awards 'Europe's Best Speciality Coffee Roaster' and Queen's Award for Sustainable Development

Why it matters

Cornwall is geographically as far from a third-wave coffee scene as the UK gets, but Origin made it work by becoming the regional name London ended up coming to learn from — first via wholesale, then through the Shoreditch café opened the same year as the original Porthleven location. The Loring Smart Roast investment positioned them as a sustainability reference point in the UK industry, and the back-to-back Cup Tasters titles by Freda Yuan turned the Helston roastery into a global cupping address.

Production

destoning
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head roaster
Freda Yuan (Head of Coffee)
color sorting
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roaster machine
Loring Smart Roaster (2 × 30kg + 1 × 15kg)
filter equipment
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cupping frequency
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roastery location
Wheal Vrose Business Park, Helston, Cornwall
espresso equipment
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annual volume tonnes
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Café

This roaster operates a café.

Recognitions

  • Allegra Awards — Europe's Best Speciality Coffee Roaster
  • Queen's Award for Sustainable Development
  • Freda Yuan — UK Cup Tasters Champion (2017, 2018, 2020), 3rd World Cup Tasters (2017)

Sources

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