Private label coffee roaster Lincoln & York has invested £1 million in a high-speed manufacturing line at its Brigg, North Lincolnshire, England, roastery, aiming to double its business by 2026.

The company, which is said to be 'one of the UK’s largest independent roasteries', roasts over 9,000 tons of coffee annually and serves more than 150 customers across 32 markets, including high street coffee chains and retailers.

The £1 million investment follows over £4 million in upgrades over the past decade, including a new 600kg roaster in 2014, a high-speed packing line and new warehouse and storage facilities.

The company has also invested in a new coffee lab and innovation space, where its team develops 'bespoke blends' and ensures quality control.

Ian Bryson, managing director at Lincoln & York, commented: “Over the last 30 years we have invested over £20 million in the business to ensure we have the capability and capacity to scale, grow and adapt with our customers’ businesses, while delivering consistent quality across our roasting, blending and packing. When the UK coffee market exploded in the 1990s, we were ready to meet a rapidly increasing demand and today, as the number of coffee shops continues to grow, investing in our roastery remains a key priority.

“However, our investment goes beyond equipment, and extends to our employees and their futures too. We now have 90 employees at Lincoln & York and we’re proud to have three of the UK’s 135 coffee Q Graders, the coffee equivalent of a sommelier, on the Lincoln & York team. We also regularly invest in consumer insight, including conducting our own independent research, to support our customers with their business goals, meaning we are a trusted coffee partner rather than just a coffee supplier.”

#LincolnandYork