Ask the Roaster
Click the link to hear more from Hols and the team at North Star.
About
Our relationship with coffee began in Kenya in 2011, working amongst smallholder coffee farmers to conduct academic research into whether Fairtrade had delivered what it promised to in terms of social and economic development. Although we didn’t know it at the time, our home for the month happened to be the best producing region in the country (Nyeri) and we had the honour of working alongside some of the world’s most renowned coffee cooperatives. We therefore began our coffee journey within the specialty industry amongst a community focused on quality, and we have never looked back.
North Star Coffee Roasters was established in 2013 as the first coffee roastery in Leeds dedicated to providing coffees of the highest quality by working with specialty focused producers all over the world. We buy only specialty grade Arabica coffees and choose beans based on their complex flavour profile, cleanliness and consistency. We work seasonally, purchasing fresh green coffee in small batches all year round which we then roast to showcase the inherent flavours of each bean.
Our love for coffee comes from its power to connect people all over the world with a shared interest and goal. Our aim is to strengthen this connection by sharing our stories and relationships with the fantastic people behind our product. Following nearly three years of experience working in green coffee with one of the UK’s leading specialty importers (and with a background in ethical studies) we are very proud of our sourcing policies which aim to ensure that the land and people growing our coffees are treated with respect and consideration.
The North Star Coffee Academy was established in March 2016 as part of our effort to positively contribute towards the UK’s specialty coffee scene. Our aim has always been to share knowledge and promote education in an effort to improve accessibility and understanding as well as to constantly push standards. We are delighted to offer some of the most comprehensive courses available; covering barista, brewing and sensory skills both through the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) and our own training programme.
Quality and ethics are at the heart of everything we do, we work with both our origin and wholesale partners to continue a positive cycle of re-investment, innovation and sustainability in an effort to guarantee the supply of outstanding coffee for many years to come.
Dog and Hat
One of the first roasters we spoke to when we started up was North Star over in Leeds. Unfortunately, they were very busy starting up their amazing cafe next to the roastary in the Leeds docks area. Thankfully, when we went back to speak to them again they'd settled down and we are really happy to have them on board now.
