Northern Ireland's Pure Roast Coffee wins first business in Sweden

Pure Roast Coffee, the award-winning roaster of single-estate beans, has won its first business in Sweden.

The company, which is based at Lisburn in county Antrim, has signed a deal for its premium coffee with a Swedish industry leader that is expected to be worth £3 million over the next three years.

The deal follows an approach from Swedish business contacts to Martin Symington, the founder and managing director of Pure Roast Coffee, which has won a string of Great Taste Awards for the quality and rich flavour of its coffee using the latest convection technology.

The breakthrough in Scandinavia follows the company's success in exporting coffee to high-end restaurants and foodservice organisations in parts of Europe and the Middle East.

"I was delighted to be approached by the Swedish business to see if I would be prepared to supply top quality coffee over the next three years. I subsequently met them in Sweden and they then visited the production plant in Lisburn. It's a market which appreciates excellent coffee with heritage and provenance.

"We signed a deal soon after this visit. Business is all about contacts and relationships as well as a willingness to respond quickly to the requirements of individual customers, both existing and potential.

"In addition to maintaining the quality of our coffee, which we blend using the very best single-estate beans."

He's built the coffee business through a dedication to sales outside Northern Ireland. Selling is in his DNA. "There's not much I haven't sold in a lengthy career in the food industry," he says. "Selling is something I've enjoyed over the years. It is what business is all about. I enjoy it immensely," he continues.

Northern Ireland's multi-award winning coffee company now also an operation in Britain, Pure Gusto based in Bolton, that's focused on growing its online business in the country's dynamic foodservice sector especially with restaurants and hotels. It also supplies pods to coffee machine manufacturers.

The high-end Pure Gusto brand was launched in 2013 as a separate brand using coffee roasted in Lisburn.

In addition to easy serve pods and capsules, the company's portfolio also includes double espresso pods, Senseo coffee pods, coffee beans and filter coffee and a complete range of auxiliary products.

Mr Symington is a skilled and highly experienced negotiator, a deal maker. And he's always been adept at spotting market trends early and responding fast to opportunities such as the growth of demand for easy serve coffee pods and capsules.

The company's success has led to expansion projects over the years and additional employment opportunities.