A coffee roaster has opened a barista training centre in Bankside made from recycled materials destined for landfill – including an old Covent Garden pub floor.
Bristol-based Extract Coffee Roasters has used the pub floor for its espresso bar, and its benches are made from leftover supplies from a housing project in Victoria.
The company joins 50 other businesses at the Sustainable Bankside building in Sumner Street which now forms Europe’s largest community of sustainable start-ups.
After starting out as a small coffee cart, Extract now supplies coffee to more than 70 cafes, restaurants and venues across the capital, including Searcys at St Paul’s Cathedral, The Connaught, Deliciously Ella’s Mae Deli, and Regent’s University.
In the last two years they have been closely involved with homelessness charity The Passage and have provided barista training to homeless and vulnerable adults as part of a Hotel School training programme in collaboration with the Goring Hotel.
66 per cent of their students are now in full-time work – a number which continues to grow.
David Faulkner, director and head roaster, said: “It’s crazy to think it all started with a small coffee cart which we took to markets and festivals.
“It’s been great to see the business grow and have our coffee appear at iconic locations all over the country.”
Co-founder Lee Bolam added: “Having supplied many of London’s finest cafes and restaurants over the last seven years it’s great to finally have a place of learning in the capital, in the vibrant neighbourhood next to Borough Market, to support our growing Extract community with training and business support.
“We’re fully committed to sustainability at our Bristol base; from roasting our coffee on four second-hand roasters which we restored ourselves, to recycling all our waste coffee grounds, and using 90 per cent renewable energy to power the roastery.
“It’s great to finally have a place in London which is also in line with our sustainable values.”
For more information, visit: https://extractcoffee.co.uk/