Findlater & Co. – Nurturing Links from Origin to the Fast-Growing Urban Coffee Culture phenomenon
Findlater & Co’s long-standing reputation is built on its ability to consistently deliver premium coffee, wine, ambient food products and services to businesses across Ireland. As we say – Never settle for ordinary.
Based at our local Broomhill roastery a testament to Findlater & Co’s, commitment to quality and innovation you will find Garath Scully, our coffee Category Development Manager. As Garath (also a master roaster), shares his coffee journey and insights discover more about the growth and evolution of coffee within the Irish market.
Dubliner Garath Scully’s career path is an interesting one His journey into the world of coffee began in 2001 with a role at Robert Robert’s, now known as a significant moment, when he transitioned from a novice in coffee to a specialist. His initial training included a rigorous three-month stint in the UK, working across various coffee companies to grasp the full spectrum of the coffee trade—from sourcing and trading to understanding the nuances of roasting and the critical timing of harvests.
“Traded like gold or oil, Coffee is a commodity I learned about all the variables that can have a direct effect on its price.”
Brazil is still the biggest coffee producer by far, followed by Vietnam and then Colombia. As a crop, coffee is grown within the tropics. Moreover, it needs high altitude (over 800 metres), and lots of sunshine. Harvesting coffee is a labour-intensive process and all these restrictions on where and when it can be harvested assure its place as the second most traded commodity in the world.
While climate change is not likely to have enough impact to change the geographical locations where coffee is grown any time soon, the sustainability of the processes involved in getting coffee from Origin to the cup is a critical issue.
Garath points out the profound impact of climate change on agriculture but reassures that the sustainability measures in place are robust. A recent initiative that stood out during his origin visit to Brazil was the ‘Neighbours and Friends’ program, which fosters collaboration between large and small coffee producers. “It’s about pooling resources, sharing technology, and elevating the quality of the coffee produced,” he remarks. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to sustainability, which is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern coffee production.
There are also moves towards more sustainability in the detail of how companies do business – such as using paper sacks instead of the traditional hessian ones or consolidating shipments of orders to cut down on fuel consumption.
The most significant development in this area is Findlater’s push to deal directly with the coffee farmer.
Quality products to our customers
“Before, we tended to buy our coffee from Traders in Europe where they would have ideal connections with producers at Origin. Everyone plays their part but there is a loss of connection directly back from farm to cup – directly linking to a farm or farmers shows real resolve to ensure our story is correct and we are serious about sustainability at Origin.
It is not as easy or straightforward as it might sound, Garath points out, due to the inherent risks involved. It is the reason Traders who can grant assurances have always existed in such an industry, but they are making strong progress. 2025 will, he says, be a big year for Findlaters in buying ‘direct linked’ coffees.
“We can develop a relationship with the farmer. We know what the quality of the farmer’s product is, and we know that it is going to be good.”
Garath, along with a team from Findlater & Co, recently went to visit one of the coffee farmers with whom they are nurturing a relationship: “We went to have a look at his farm, meet the family and workers and to observe the process and of course! to taste all his coffees. Based on best quality and taste profile I chose a coffee over there that is currently en route to us and will be available to our Irish customer base.”
Part of Garath’s training involved teaching his palate to recognise the differences between the types of coffee and the characteristics imbued by their terroir, to use a wine-growing term.
“It’s really no different from wine-tasting,” Garath says. “The more you taste coffee, the more you pick up on the different flavours in it… I am looking to ensure that a coffee is not lacking in any of the notes I am looking for, whether it is a nuttiness, or a buttery flavour note for example. There might not be anything wrong with the coffee per se, but if it is not consistent with the specific criteria I set for my coffee, then it is not right.”
The evolution of coffee in Ireland has been rapid; in individual consumption levels, the number of coffee outlets and in the tastes of Irish coffee consumers.
“Along with the UK and some parts of the Middle East, we’re among the last of the black tea-drinking nations in the world,” says Garath, “where black tea consumption outstrips coffee consumption. That is changing now, particularly amongst the 18-34 demographic sector.”
Garath believes that this trend will see Ireland joining the ranks of the coffee-preferring nations within his lifetime.
“It’s a bit like when we used to only have Black Tower and Blue Nun on the wine shelf,” he says. “And look where we are now today. It is the same with coffee… younger people today particularly Gen Z, are much savvier in their choices and much more open to different tastes and experiences ”
We are, it seems, in the middle of a full-scale coffee revolution. Ten years ago, Garath admits, he could not see how there was room in the marketplace for any more cafés, but the growth has continued unabated. There used to be a time when coffee was just an add-on option on a menu. Now it is more often the main attraction
“The job of barista is one that you can now take with you anywhere in the world,” he says. “The whole coffee culture phenomenon has rapidly evolved with social media and more and more people are really into it.”
In his role, Garath takes the approach of firstly ensuring that their coffees are in line with customers’ expectations, but secondly, keeping an eye on the changing horizon in evolving coffee tastes – to raise the bar while satisfying the core clientèle.
“A lot of coffees out there are kind-of funky, with fermented flavours. Unusual yet having gorgeous flavours coming through. For some people, though, that might be a bit marmite.
“When we bring a coffee in, the first thing we have to do is to check that the coffee I bought is the coffee that we’ve received (i.e. not spoiled en route), says Garath”
“There is a set format to it. All our blends are roasted for eleven minutes… It is all about controlling temperature over a set time.”
In terms of controlling the quality of coffee that people receive through a bar or café, Findlater & Co, identifies a select number of ‘coffee champions’ and concentrates on their processes in terms of skillset and presenting the product.
“It is about ensuring that the coffee that is being served is as good as it is going to be. The customer experience is particularly important. As the old saying goes, ‘if you have a good coffee, you tell three people. If you have a bad coffee, you tell ten people!’
As always, future trends are hard to predict, Garath says. Pricing is open to the vagaries of the international markets. As regards taste and how people consume their coffees, he has his finger on the pulse with regard to the market in Ireland.
“The coffee market is growing and growing along with expectations and the next generation of people coming through are really embracing speciality coffees. They are expensive, but that generation recognise the value in the experience and are willing to pay for it.”
The cost he speaks of is in the region of twice the cost of ‘normal’ coffee, but this is an area of growth, Garath says. Moreover, coffee-drinking clients of the future are well-informed and are not ones to have the wool pulled over their eyes by any attempts at greenwashing. They are seeking quality, provenance, and theyare willingly to pay what they regard as a fair price. “People want provenance, and they can see through any kind of nonsensical greenwashing.”
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